GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Animal shelters in the metro Atlanta area say they see a sharp rise in reports of missing dogs on July Fourth and the days after.
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PetAmberAlert.com says more dogs are reported missing during the Fourth of July holiday period than any other time of the year, because of fireworks.
“It does get pretty busy. We do get an uptick of animals running loose that are scared, because of all the noise and chaos,” said Gwinnett Animal Shelter Division Director Katrina Helman.
Due to their acute sense of hearing, many dogs have a noise phobia. Loud and unpredictable explosions from fireworks can be terrifying, and prompt them to run off.
“We do see an uptick in bites, because they are scared animals and people try to approach them wile they are already mortified by the fireworks,” said Helman.
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Helman says dogs frightened by fireworks have been known to break through windows and run into traffic. They are so scared; they can often be unapproachable.
“They are hard to catch a lot of the time. they will run into a wooded area and lay low for a couple of days until they feel safe again, which obviously makes it much more difficult to locate them,” said Helman.
Helman says if you must keep your pet outside, make sure the animal is a securely fenced area. However, she says it’s better to keep the dog inside.
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“Make sure you got the windows shut and the curtains closed. Try to leave the TV on, or some music on, to keep the animal calm. Make sure they are in secure place in your home as well. When the fireworks are going on, give them treats. Give positive reinforcement to that noise. That way it’s not a negative experience for them, and it doesn’t cause them extreme stress,” said Helman.
Helman says pets should have an ID on their collar, whether it’s a rabies tag, or a name tag with a phone number. Pet owners should also make sure their microchip information for their pet is up to date.
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