Fourth of July celebrations may be fun for you, but the popping, crackling and booming of fireworks can be terrifying for your pets. As your local companion animal welfare experts, the Placer SPCA would like to remind owners of the dangers presented on this national holiday.

Dogs and cats become fearful of these loud noises and want to escape them – this can result in our pets getting disoriented or lost. It is important to remember that fireworks are often set off on the days surrounding the fourth of July, and not just the day of.

“We suggest that pets be kept in a quiet, familiar room in your home any time loud noises are nearby,” says Leilani Fratis, Placer SPCA CEO. “Even a very mellow animal may try to dart out the door if he is scared by fireworks blasting nearby.”

If your pet does get lost, a tag and microchip may make the difference in getting him or her back home. The Placer SPCA Companion Animal Care Center in Roseville offers microchip implants during regular business hours for only $20.

About the size of a grain of rice, the microchip contains a code that a shelter or veterinarian can scan to obtain a pet owner’s name from a national database maintained by the manufacturer. If your pet already has a microchip, please be sure to keep your contact information current. If you don’t know the manufacturer information, come in to the Placer SPCA for a free scan.

Please visit www.placerspca.org/clinics for more information.

Blog post information and picture courtesy of Placer SPCA.