SAN FRANCISCO—On Monday, June 22, the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) shared an article on Twitter about 4th of July pet safety to remind pet owners to keep their pets safe during the holiday. This article was originally published by Banfield, which is a pet hospital.
The article explained how to keep pets safe when people are celebrating Independence Day. It consisted of the following three details:
1. Lost Pets
The article points out that more pets go missing around Independence Day than other time of the year. People should make sure their pets are wearing a collar with an identification tag with contact information. “Proper identification tags will help local neighbors contact you should they find your pet,” reads a statement in the article.
An animal microchip is also a good option for pet owners since animal shelters and control centers are able to read the information with scanners. People can input their contact information via the microchip.
2. Food Safety
Pet owners should keep their pets away from matches, flames and BBQs to keep them from getting burned. People should throw meat bags, containers and trays away in case their pets eat them by mistake.
According to the article, pet owners should not give human food to pets. Foods like grapes are toxic to dogs. Also, there are others kinds of food that would upset a pet’s stomach.
3. Fireworks
The article suggests that pet owners should put their pets in a quiet and safe place at home, trying not to take them to 4th of July celebrations. People can go to a veterinarian before 4th of July for medical help, if their pets always show anxiety during fireworks.
Pet owners can make a plan about what to do if their pet goes missing. Owners should be familiar with animal shelters and veterinary hospitals near their neighborhood.
