Dogs and Fireworks

[MissAva]

Okay I love Alabama...but we have no laws about fireworks and everyone on Gpd''s green earth is shooting them off. While it is very lovely it is giving Ava coniption fits. Does anyone know of a way to soothe her?

 

[nutty]

My dog is absolutely FREAKING out right now too. She has been panicking all day. We have the radio on to try to drown out the noise, but I don''t think it is really helping.

 

[Jennifer5973]

Oh boy...now I am going to rant....The 4th is always a BAD few days for us. Elmo is highly sensitive to thunder and fireworks. We are home with him all the time and make sure if we have to go out, we are home by dusk. We run the CAC and close all the windows and shades and run 2 TVs at very high volumes. Today, though, the actual 4th, was just too much and we gave hime 1/2 of a "thunderstorm" pill we get by Rx from the vet. Right now, we just survived the HUGE town display and the a**holes around are setitng off little pops. I hope they blow their faces off.

God help me, but I have to tell you that fireworks are illegal here and I really could kill the idiots setting them off. I mean, how is that fun? What kind of low life are you that you need to set off little fireworks in your yard? We were never allowed to go near them as children. Then again, we were raised with some class. I know I am venting but it makes this poor animal so upset, it is not to be believed. And with his spine problems, he tries to crawl in too tight places and I am physically sick worrying his is going to snap his back. Now, he is medicated but I HATE doing that too. It is so sad....but at least he is stable and just laying at my feet. My husband has to carry him around and up and down the stairs until the meds wear off.

If it wasn''t for the idiots in the neighborhood, we would just have to worry about the hour of the big displays for the town.... I have called the police in years past but it doesn''t seem to help. I find it highly ironic that on this, the birthday of freedom, I am captive in my home, unable to enjoy my patio or outside, becasue of illegal fireworks.

 

[Jennifer5973]

Here he is, next to me as I type.

 

[MissAva]

Oh he looks soo sweet....I grew up being aloud to have sparklers and have many fond memories of running in the yard at night in the summer with them. We only had them maybe three times each years but I always felt magical. And while I personally enjoy the shows...does everyone need to be doing it? I mean the bigs are great and I like to sit on my parents roof and see the ones done in NYC....and be a safe distance from them. But having so many takes away from it, and there is a big difference IMO in being a professional who knows what they are doing and just being someone who bought 40$ and is now lighting up a city block. Ava is hording stuff in the bath tub. Perhaps I will give her one of the pills for long road trips. I hate to medicate ehr but I dont like she her scared either....

 

[Jennifer5973]

Matatora, sparklers are not illegal fireworks! I had sparklers (with supervision, of course).

I don't mean to offend anybody but that's my opinion on the topic. I do NOT thing people should be setting off illegal firecrackers in their backyards. Period. Find some other way to entertain yourselves.

The organized fireworks are awesome-I wish I could go!--and part of the holiday. But the stuff people do in their yards is what upsets me. Even if it wasn't for poor Elmo, the constant popping is annoying.

Plus, I just heard on TV that every year, there are approximately 8,000+ people at the emergency rooms across the US because of accidents with illegal fireworks. So, the troubled US healthcare system has to provide care--whether some insurance company or the taxpayers pay for it--for accidents that could have-and SHOULD have-been prevented. And all that microsurgey to re-attach fingers and faces isn't cheap.

 

[MissAva]

I didnt think you meant sparklers...I am just feeling pissy becuase I hate to see her unhappy.

And I am with you 100% breaking the law is a no no. In Alabama there are no laws about this and last night it was kinda of cute a few churchs had small displays and kids had sparklers and since they were too far away to be heard Ava didnt mind. Tonight the idot from Maine is in his front yard firing them off and shooting a little fake gun...I think its fake. Anyway I just dont like all this noise and Ava is hording stuff. Have of the portable items in my apt are now in the tub.

She is lying my lap since I am not inclinded to hang out in the tub. Bless her little heart, Elmos too...I cant imagine how scary these noises must be when you dont know what they are.

 

[Jennifer5973]

Date: 7/4/2005 11:35:10 PM
Author: Matatora
I didnt think you meant sparklers...I am just feeling pissy becuase I hate to see her unhappy.

And I am with you 100% breaking the law is a no no. In Alabama there are no laws about this and last night it was kinda of cute a few churchs had small displays and kids had sparklers and since they were too far away to be heard Ava didnt mind. Tonight the idot from Maine is in his front yard firing them off and shooting a little fake gun...I think its fake. Anyway I just dont like all this noise and Ava is hording stuff. Have of the portable items in my apt are now in the tub.

She is lying my lap since I am not inclinded to hang out in the tub. Bless her little heart, Elmos too...I cant imagine how scary these noises must be when you dont know what they are.

Oooooh...I know.... It''s heartbraking. Couldn''t you just run out and beat the %$#@! out of that guy? I mean, I feel like I could. Seeing a helpless animal suffer is the WORST.

 

[MissAva]

I am thinking of asking him to stop...but I am fairly certain he has been drinking heavily. And I dont know that I want to leave Ava alone or bring her out there. But good heavens we are a block from the university and they are havign a display, why not just go and watch there. It justmakes my mad that people dont think, and you are right the last thing we need is more people in the hospital.

 

[Mara]

a gal at a shelter told me last year i think that july 4th weekend/day they usually have the largest number ever of lost dogs turned into the shelter or running lost etc...because they freak out due to the fireworks and jump over a fence or claw their way out or something...they can turn the most mellow dogs into lunatics! many owners don't think to ensure that their dog is secure during the fireworks.

last year P was pretty calm, she was a puppy so much didn't faze her. we weren't too sure what to expect this year now that she is all grown up. we took her to greg's concert this afternoon where they shoot off a cannon for 1812 overture and she jumped and barked incessantly each time they did it. we had to laugh...she was trying defend us against the cannon.

so tonite we went out into the park behind our house with our guests and watched the fireworks 1/2m away with the rest of our complex and neighbors, i held P in my arms and each time a BIG firework would go off she would do a low growl but after a few first barks she was fine. i was SO relieved...i was afraid she'd get over-excited or freak out esp after the cannon excitement earlier. but she was very good!

then we took her out again later to walk our friend to her car and she met up with one of her dog friends and they chased each other around the park for 20 minutes, getting all that excess pent-up energy out of their systems! now she is sacked out on the dog bed curled up in a little ball. out for the night!!

last nite we ran into another dog friend of hers and they had just medicated her because apparently she was tweaked about the fireworks...so im sure tonite was the same deal and even worse. we also had some amateurs setting off random fireworks, thank goodness not too close to our house.

 

[Mara]

here's the little darling, out like a light...excuse the bad picture, i didn't want the flash to wake her up, so it came out too dark and grainy.

 

[Kamuelamom]

Jenn et al, I''m sorry about Elmo and the rest of the pets being frightened. That is not a fun thing. I have and love my pets too.

That said, I grew up with fireworks and love them, but then again, they are legal here. It is a cultural tradition here, for New Years Eve more than the 4th of July, but people do play them here for this occasion as well, as did we since we had some left overs from NY Eve. The kids have come to love them, as DH & I did when we were growing up.

In addition to animals, people with respitory conditions also badly suffer. A few years ago the weather condition was so bad (lack of wind) one NY Eve, combined with the smoke, made for one of the worst NY Eve''s in the history of Hawaii. This prompted a new law to be passed the very next year, banning certain types of fireworks. Since then, to use "firecrackers" you need to obtain a permit, and can only purchase a certain limit with the permit. While this did help to cut down on some of the problem, it worstened in another area. Now the "off the shelf" type of fireworks (not necessarily firecrackers) which are so comparable to the kind you need with a permit in terms of sound, is more abundant in the marketplace during the selling season than ever. I think the manufacturer (primarily in China) realized that this new law would hurt their market (Hawaii is one of their biggest market), so they began to produce stuff that would still sell, and give the customer an equal (or very close) bang for their buck. It''s really NOT the same, but it''s good enough and one doesn''t need to go through the hassle of obtaining, and paying for, a permit. Most folks here agree on that if you are into the fireworks at all.

Please pardon the digression.

I hope Freddy, Elmo and all the beloved pets are safe & healthy this 4th of July.

Peace.

 

[AGBF]

Biscuit enjoys the fireworks. He used to go lie on the deck in Connecticut so that he could enjoy them. He was like a person...doing the equivalent of spreading his blanket to enjoy them. (Except that he could only hear, not see them from where we lived!)

All my other dogs were terrfied of fireworks and thunderstorms, however. I certainly think local ordinances against illegal fireworks should be enforced! I hate loud noises for no reason myself, which is why I cannot understand the male fascination with shooting off cannons! At least fireworks are pretty!

 

[moremoremore]

Awww, that picture is SO sad. Yeah, HELLO. Fireworks are illegal. People are so stupid. I hope the puppies did ok through it all. We are fairly close to NYC and I couldn''t believe that I could actually hear some of the louder thuds from the show...the cats were a little on edge ...but we didn''t have much activity closer to home...

BTW. Nice wallet JFo. I have the same one sitting in my bag LOL

 

[fire&ice]

Well, I don''t think anyone can really form a consensus on things to soothe your dog. My dogs don''t have problems with loud noises; so, I ''ve never tried any of the homeopathic remedies. BUT - my breed board had a rather nasty disagreement about whether they work or not. Some thought that the owner was calmer (because of the placibo effect) & that "calmness" transfered to the dog. Others swore by the stuff.

There are lots of product out there that one could investigate.

Evidently, quite a few people like things that go boom. Never could quite see that. I do enjoy the ones that are pretty aside from just the noisy ones.

 

[cnspotts]

Hopefully everyone''s pets are back to normal today and feeling much calmer.

I live within the city limits of Birmingham, ALabama, it''s illegal to use fireworks and shoot off guns but you''d never know it from the "show" we got last night. I was quite impressed with the size and length of the various fireworks being displayed, something to rival the shows at Disney World surprisingly. Our home sits atop a hill, so we had a fabulous view of everyone''s show below. It''s amazing how quite all the animals where except for a few birds chattering.

My dogs seemed okay and not too upset. Later on when everyone seemed to have finished their fun the cops started up all over the place. Sirens everywhere, dogs howling and barking.

My horses used to get very upset and pace in their stalls or run small cirlces kind of wildly every 4th of July. I felt so bad for them. Normally the rest of the year nothing bothered them.

 

[dazedland]

We live in Manhattan about 2 blocks from the Seaport which is where the city does one of the HUGE fireworks shows. We couldn''t watch them because it was so crowded and our roof deck of our building was closed because last year some idiots had to ruin it for everyone else by throwing bottles off the roof. We waited until after the show to take our dog outside because the fireworks scare the bejeezus out of her and there were so many people around, fights, drunks, etc. she peed because she was scared then put her front paws up on my boyfriends thighs and jumped vertical and he caught her. It was really cute, but I felt bad for her because she was so traumatized. She''s better today though, I just thought I would share the story because it''s cute how neurotic she is, fireworks, people, garbage trucks, janitorial carts, doorbells (in real life or on TV, especially Domino''s commercial''s) all of it she''s petrified. I have no idea why, but she is adorable. She''s a buff colored cocker and she is 4 years old, we''ve had her since she was 2 months old and have no idea why she is like that. Our other two cocker spaniels that can''t live with us in the city are not like that at all, so who knows!

 

[caligal]

I wish I had been online last night to help Ava and all the pups! Our Eski, Juno, had been upset this week when morons in our complex shot them off every night. I am with you Jenn- they are frustrating!!! And it seems the drunker and dumber you are the more you shoot off! We eventually found Juno was happiest in his sheltered dog house near us- but I do wish they would have stopped shooting them off earlier. His little legs were shaking until midnight since all those idiots were shooting them off until then. Hugs to all the animals today!

 

[strmrdr]

hmmm
makes me feel almost bad bout joining my neighbors and shooting off several hundred bottle rockets.
no it doesnt :}
Was too much fun and tradition.

I wanted to load up some blanks for my revolvers but figured some wussy liberal would have a hissy fit and call the cops.
I hate living this close to the city.

 

[ursulawrite]

Have you tried a couple of drops of Bach''s Rescue Remedy soaked into a treat? That''s supposed to work really well.

My Boston Terrier is so strange. She''ll happily go for a walk in the thunder and doesn''t care about fireworks, yet she freaks out when she sees a balloon!

 

[Jennifer5973]

Date: 7/5/2005 3:19:41 PM
Author: strmrdr
hmmm
makes me feel almost bad bout joining my neighbors and shooting off several hundred bottle rockets.
no it doesnt :}
Was too much fun and tradition.

I wanted to load up some blanks for my revolvers but figured some wussy liberal would have a hissy fit and call the cops.
I hate living this close to the city.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 7/5/2005 4:32:37 PM
Author: Jennifer5973

Date: 7/5/2005 3:19:41 PM

Author: strmrdr

hmmm

makes me feel almost bad bout joining my neighbors and shooting off several hundred bottle rockets.

no it doesnt :}

Was too much fun and tradition.


I wanted to load up some blanks for my revolvers but figured some wussy liberal would have a hissy fit and call the cops.

I hate living this close to the city.

Yea I know I do feel for the doggies dont get me wrong but it still wouldnt stop me.
Its a long standing US tradition and a celebration of our country.
Too bad thats illegal these days!
Just like praying in public, mentioning Jesus on public property and wanting to keep your land when a corporation wants it are all illegal.

 

[fire&ice]

Date: 7/5/2005 3:19:41 PM
Author: strmrdr
hmmm
makes me feel almost bad bout joining my neighbors and shooting off several hundred bottle rockets.
no it doesnt :}
Was too much fun and tradition.

I wanted to load up some blanks for my revolvers but figured some wussy liberal would have a hissy fit and call the cops.
I hate living this close to the city.

Funny, you and Steve are exactly who I was thinking about when I wrote that some people like things to go boom.

 

[MissAva]

It turns out that it wasnt just fireworks.... some idoit from Maine, was shooting A GUN! One of the girls who lives down the street told me. He was apperently quite drunk and said "Of course I am shooting a gun this is the south...." and tried to convince the police to join him for a drink.

No wonder she was scared...and I will be more careful to take off my head phones when she is tweaking.

 

[MissAva]

I am all for fun tradtions and target practice is fine with me too....as long as you are on private property and not drinking and playing with guns. Alchol and firearms are not a solid mix.
Personally I am still pissed the took out the 10 Commandments

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 7/5/2005 6:36:14 PM
Author: Matatora
It turns out that it wasnt just fireworks.... some idoit from Maine, was shooting A GUN! One of the girls who lives down the street told me. He was apperently quite drunk and said ''Of course I am shooting a gun this is the south....'' and tried to convince the police to join him for a drink.

No wonder she was scared...and I will be more careful to take off my head phones when she is tweaking.

I hope the cops threw the book at him.
People like that give gun owners a bad name.
Out in the sticks we have fired guns into the air for the 4th and new years but it was loaded with blanks and no one was drunk.

We even loaded some confetti rounds for the shotguns.
Was good safe fun :}