The 4th of July is coming up soon—very exciting for humans, but horribly terrifying for animals. Fireworks look really cool, but they're super dangerous (for ALL animals—humans included). What exactly is wrong with fireworks? Number one: they're explosives (duh!). Number two:
Oh, and don't forget about wildlife. Besides being frightening, fireworks produce plumes of smoke that are harmful to animals' respiratory systems and pollute standing water. The California Coastal Commission banned the city of Gualala's fireworks display after a 2006 show caused nesting seabirds to flee their nests and abandon their chicks—and just this year, fireworks have been blamed for the deaths of approximately 5,000 birds in Arkansas.
Be a hero for animals this year, and talk to people about skipping the fireworks!
THEY SCARE, HURT, AND KILL.
After fireworks displays, animal shelters nationwide report an increase in the number of lost companion animals. Many animals go missing because they panic and jump over fences or break chains; some even jump through plate-glass windows in order to get away from the terrifying sounds. Some animals are reunited with their families, but others are never found or are hit by cars or killed in other ways as they flee—not just from huge community fireworks displays, but also from smaller displays (like the fireworks at your dad's 4th of July cookout).
WHAT YOU CAN DO
- Talk to your friends, family, and neighbors in advance of the holiday (we all hear fireworks before July 4). Make them aware that the terror of fireworks will cause well-behaved animals to jump fences, dig holes, and flee in terror.
- Make sure your dogs and cats have tags, even when they're inside.
- Keep some music or a television playing inside the house to cover the noise of exploding fireworks and close the curtains and turn on lights to minimize the flash.
Be a hero for animals this year, and talk to people about skipping the fireworks!
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