Fireworks cause dogs to run for shelter

Although Fourth of July has passed, fireworks can continue to be heard for several more days around Merced. Animal supporters say the boom of the explosives can lead dogs to panic and attempt to escape from their homes to find safety.

“It’s like gunshots,” said Kristi Caseri, supervisor for Merced County Animal Control. “They feel anxiety and don’t know where to go.”

Caseri said during Fourth of July many dogs come in to the county animal shelter. For the past week, the staff has seen 10 to 20 a day coming through the shelter.

“I’ve been here almost 19 years and it’s been the same every year,” Caseri said Tuesday.

Some dogs break out of their homes, Caseri said, in an attempt to find shelter or somewhere safe to go, because they don’t understand what is happening and why there are consistent loud noises.

“I don’t think they know what’s happening,” she said.

Caseri advises pet owners to keep their dogs inside, or to have them near noises they are used to hearing, such as a stereo or television that can drown out the unexpected noises. Staff members at the shelter play classical music to sooth dogs there, Caseri said.

“I just think they need to feel comforted,” Caseri said.

There also are different types of dog-appropriate medications, such as Benadryl, that pet owners can give to calm their animals, Caseri said.

Caseri noted that people also can help connect stray pets and owners by using social media, such as the Facebook page Paw Patrol Lost and Found Pets in Merced. Anyone who has found or lost a pet can post photos and descriptions.

This story was originally published July 5, 2016 at 6:47 PM with the headline "Fireworks cause dogs to run for shelter."