PETA ‘Blasts’ Warning: Fireworks May Scare Animals to Death in Wichita

For immediate release:
June 22, 2021

Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382

Wichita, Kan. – As July 4th approaches and revelers plan to watch fireworks light up the sky, PETA asks everyone to ditch the noisy pyrotechnics – which is causing many dogs and cats to flee in panic – and to follow his advice to ensure the safety of animals.

Every Independence Day (and every time fireworks go off), animal shelters are seeing a spike in lost animals that have fled the noise, and some are run over or killed in some other way. On July 4, the dog of a Wichita family, Chapo, has disappeared from their yard after being frightened by fireworks. A few days later, they found Chapo’s corpse in a cardboard box near a dumpster near their house.

People can help protect animals by taking the following precautions:

• Keep cats and dogs indoors. Never leave animals tied or chained outside – they can hang themselves if they jump over a fence trying to escape the noise. Animals can also injure themselves when trying to exit enclosures.
• Never take animals with you to watch fireworks! If you know in advance that there will be fireworks in your area, stay at home with your animals and try to keep them calm.
• Close your windows and curtains. To help muffle sounds, turn on fans and air conditioners as well as the television or radio tuned to a classical music station.
• Buy one Thunder shirt, which can help your dog or cat cope with the stress of fireworks. Other ways to keep animals calm include playing specially designed music from iCalmAnimals and giving them a natural supplement called melatonin, which is available at your local health food store. (Consult your veterinarian first.)
• Make sure your pet is microchipped and is wearing a collar or harness with an up-to-date ID tag, just in case.
• If it’s cool enough outside, take the dogs for a long walk or a walk in the dog park before the fireworks start to tire them out.
• If you see someone setting off illegal fireworks, call the authorities immediately.

“To animals, fireworks really sound like ‘bombs bursting in the air’,” said PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA encourages everyone to dance, cheer and celebrate as they see fit, as long as the festivities leave the animals in peace. “

Animals aren’t the only ones affected, either: Veterans and others with post-traumatic stress disorder can be deeply disturbed by fireworks. By sharing PETA’s tips, you can help make this vacation safer for everyone. Useful PETA Road Signs — Available here– also underline how much fireworks can surprise pets! For more information, please visit PETA.org.