Pet safety urged this holiday season

Fireworks help families celebrate Independence Day on the Fourth of July, but those same fireworks can create problems for family pets, a local animal lover says.

Bonnie Cook, in a note to the Clovis News Journal, suggested families may want to take extra precautions about their pets when the booms and the flashes start up.

“With all the noise of firecrackers, your furry friends will be very scared,” she said. “People don’t realize how much it upsets them. You need to make sure all your yard gates are secured so your pet doesn’t panic and escape out of the yard. I have pets of my own, and after the Fourth of July, I’ll see in the paper a long list of pets in the lost-and-found column. I’m sure a lot of those animals panicked and got out of their yards.”

Cook also suggested that during the Smoke on the Water public fireworks display scheduled Friday night at Greene Acres Park, pet owners may want to put their animals indoors.

“I thought it would be a good idea to put your pets in the house for just that hour or two, turn on the air conditioner and the TV or put on soothing music to help drown out the sound,” she said. “Your pet will appreciate your thoughtfulness.”

Reporter’s notebook was compiled by CNJ senior writer Gary Mitchell. Suggested items may be mailed to editor David Stevens at P.O. Box 1689, Clovis 88102. The e-mail address is: [email protected]