Keeping furry friends calm from fireworks

LEESBURG, Ga. – The good times from the holiday weekend are still rolling, but for pet owners across Southwest Georgia, they’re taking precautions to protect their furry friends.

Take Ronnie & Wanda Rich and their one and a half year old beagle, “Amber.” They have a couple of ways of making sure she’s calm when the fireworks go off.

“We make sure that we let her out while it’s still daylight, and right before dusk before the fireworks start, we’ll bring her in and make sure she’s around us when the firworks start and inside where the noise is mitigated,” said Ronnie Rich, “Amber” owner, Leesburg.

We spoke with veterinarian Dr. Kevin Fowler at the Philema Animal Hospital in Leesburg about keeping dogs calm when the sun finally sets during the holiday.

And he says that knowing how your pet responds to noises is crucial.

“Well…the number one thing is to know your pet, and what types of noises surprise your pet, and what types of noises surprise your pet or really aggravate your pet or make them very fearful. If you know that, you can plan ahead, you can get medications that may help your pet get through those hours,” said Dr. Kevin Fowler, Veterinarian, Philema Animal Hospital.

Going back to the Rich family, they spoke with us about how they’ve managed to get their beagle to withstand loud noises, but they told us one other way they keep their pups calm during fireworks displays.

“I put lavender on all of our dogs; lavender oil. And it seems to help a lot with their shaking and everything. It calms them down a little bit,” said Wanda Rich, dog owner, Leesburg.

While some of these options may seem extreme, Dr. Fowler talks about the consequences of letting pets be scarred by the sounds of fireworks going off.

“To me, to see an animal so fearful like that and so frightened,; I think of myself being fearful in that way. It’s just not good for them mentally, physically, or emotionally for them to be that fearful and shaking and trembling…” said Dr. Fowler.

With some cities still getting ready to host their fireworks displays, there are certainly just as many ways that people are looking out for their friends on four legs.

During the interview, Dr. Fowler also suggests if your pet is scared of fireworks to bring them to an interior room of your home.

Brian Roche reporting.

Copyright 2023 CBS 44 South Georgia. All rights reserved.