Peaceable Kingdom: NorthStar Pet: Red, White, and Run!

Loud... Louder... Loudest. Gathering for fireworks and neighborhood fireworks are part of our Independence Day weekends. It's important to keep a level of awareness that fireworks can also trigger distress for our pets, and people with PTSD and autism.

From Franklin County Dog Shelter and Adoption Center:

We pick up more stray dogs during the week of July 4th than we do any other week of the year. That's because dogs can be so frightened by fireworks that they bolt and get lost.

Follow these tips for a safe and fun 4th of July with your four-legged best friend.

1. Don’t take pets to fireworks displays or leave pets unattended outside.

Dogs trying to escape the noises can become panicked, scale fences they never did before, or injure themselves by becoming entangled in ropes. They can end up lost miles from home, suffer heat exhaustion, or get hit by a car.

2. Exercise pets early in the day and put them inside in a quiet place before the fireworks start.

Keep your windows closed so that less noise and vibrations are able to enter your house.

3. Check your dog’s collar now, for ID tag and dog license, before he gets lost!

If your dog does become lost, please visit the shelter to file a lost dog report and come back every day to look for your pet. We bring in new dogs 24 hours/day. We are open 7 days a week, but closed July 4th.

You can still call to report a dog running loose or a dog bite on the holiday: 614.525.3400.

More Information from NorthStar Pet:

Red, White, and Bark

A Pet Safe New Year

Fireworks - Playing it at 11

Consider having your pet microchipped - and make sure the information is current.

Or consider a smart collar tag like https://www.pawscout.com/

There is a new collar on the market called LINK AKC with a GPS tracker that will interact with your smart phone. Take a look: https://www.linkakc.com/

(Sending out a GPS signal from a smart tag or smart collar is fine. Be positive - Do not use electronic collars or electronic containment.)

And... great advice from cat behaviorist Pam Johnson-Bennett for fireworks and summer care is a click away: Fourth of July Cat Safety Tips

Photos courtesy Franklin County Dog Shelter and Adoption Center and Cat Behavior Associates.

There's No Place Like Home

When you use the services of a pet sitter...

▪ Your pet can stay at home, in their safe, familiar, secure environment -- surrounded by their stuff and familiar scents.

▪ Pets who may be upset or stressed by travel or an environmental change, can stay home.

▪ Pets can stick more closely to their normal routines, from exercise to sleep routines to eating habits.

▪ A pet who stays in their home environment will experience a reduced likelihood of exposure to illness and communicable diseases from other animals in a care facility.

▪ Your pet receives caring, individual attention from a focused pet sitter and you won't have to inconvenience friends, neighbors, or family members.

▪ Both you and your pet can reduce stress knowing there will be consistent care from someone you both know.

▪ You save time because you won't have to transport your pet to and from a care facility.

▪ Your home will have regular visits and will seem occupied because you are eliminating many of the major indicators of an unoccupied home, so your home will appear more secure.

▪ While you will miss your pet and your pet will miss you, you will be able to leave for business and pleasure, knowing that your pet is home and well cared-for while you are gone.

▪ If you wish, you are a phone call, text, or e-mail away from daily updates on your pet and home.

▪ You can come straight home and be greeted at the door by a happy, relaxed pet very glad to see you!

Blessings and Words of Small Comfort

What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose. For all that we love deeply becomes a part of us. [Helen Keller]

When we open our hearts and homes to a pet, we do so knowing a day will come when we say farewell.

You may be in search of lost words to offer small comfort to you or a loved one.

We all grieve in different ways and transcend mourning at our own pace.

Based on my own experience, I have added some quotes, blessings, and prayers that I have found helpful to the North Star Pet Wisdom page. This page features a collection of animal-themed quotes and you'll need to scroll down just past Abbie's Morning Sun in the right margin.

Healing and heartfelt thoughts. - Linda.

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NorthStar Pet: Red, White, and Run!