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  • 🎆 Hot Take: 4th of July Sucks.

🎆 Hot Take: 4th of July Sucks.

Hear me out...

June 29, 2023

In Today’s Email:

  • The July 4th Fireworks Deep-Dive: Fireworks (and that vacuum) are your dog’s worst nightmare.

  • “The Squeeze” aka The Internet’s Best Dog News in 60 seconds.

  • The Last Laugh: What we’re laughing with. Not at.

The July 4th Nightmare

I love July 4th. LOVE it. Not because of what it celebrates, but because it’s a part of summer. And to be honest, I’ll take take any excuse to gather with friends and family and put life on pause for a bit to enjoy a BBQ, a few beers, and hang outside.

But nonetheless, I now present:

The Case Against Fireworks

Let’s do a quick pro/con list:

PRO

  • They look cool.

CON

  • Terrible for your kids and their developing ears.

  • Terrible for your grandparents and their aging ears.

  • Terrible for animals - According to The Hill, Fireworks can cause birds to panic and flee en masse, said Judy Shamoun-Baranes, a geo-ecologist at the University of Amsterdam who has studied the effects of fireworks on birds. In 2011, 5,000 red-winged blackbirds fell out of the sky in Beebe, Arkansas after fireworks celebrations on New Year’s Eve.Loud fireworks also scare larger mammals like deer and coyotes out into roads, where they can get hit by cars, said Lisa Horn, the executive director of West Sound Wildlife Shelter in Washington State.Ms. Horn’s shelter sees an influx of animals after July 4 each year. July 5 is “always all hands on deck,” she said. (via NYT)

  • Terrible for the Environment - A growing body of research has found that the noise and light from fireworks, as well as the chemicals that create the colorful explosions, “contribute significantly to chemical pollution of soil, water and air, which has implication for human as well as animal health,” according to a paper published last month in the Pacific Conservation Biology journal. (Via LATimes)

  • Triggering to those with PTSD

Oh and get this…

According to the ASPCA...MORE DOGS GET LOST ON THE 4TH OF JULY THAN ANY OTHER DAY OF THE YEAR. Pet shelters also claim to take in the most runaway dogs each year on July 5.

But Dog Juice, do you think people will be okay with no fireworks on July 4th?

Of course not. But there are solutions:

Soundless Fireworks

It sounds weird, but it exists, and has existed for about 30 years. But of course this isn’t some magical new technology, there is a sound, but at a far lower decibel level than traditional fireworks. According to Snopes, “Quiet fireworks are not completely silent, but they are nowhere near the 120-decibel cap placed on consumer fireworks in Britain, said Paul Singh, director of Epic Fireworks in England.

The fireworks he uses in quiet shows are softer than the music he plays to accompany the visuals, Mr. Singh said. His company has done quiet firework shows for school groups, senior citizen homes and venues near easily spooked animals like horses.”

But is anyone actually doing a silent fireworks show?

According to the New York Times, “In parts of Europe, quiet fireworks displays have grown increasingly common. In Britain, venues close to residents, wildlife or livestock often permit only quiet fireworks. One town in Italy, Collecchio, passed a law in 2015 that all fireworks displays must be quiet.”

And other than soundless fireworks, there are also counties around the country organizing watch parties for pets and people with sensory sensitivities.

We’re a long way away from mass adoption of “quiet” fireworks, so since it’s almost July 4th and there is a 100% chance of fireworks near where you live, what can you do about it? Let’s dive in.

The Science

Dogs hear more than twice as many frequencies as humans, and they can also hear sounds roughly four times farther away.

According to FirstVet, “Dogs can hear sounds from about 67 Hz to 45,000 Hz, compared to people hearing from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Even in the still hours of the night, dogs' sensitive ears hear termites in the walls as well as the inner workings of digital alarm clocks.”

Daniel Mills, a professor of veterinary behavioral medicine at The University of Lincoln in England, spoke to The Smithsonian about the science behind dog’s ears, and the fear they can experience with respect to loud and unexpected noises, "The inability to locate sounds can increase the severity of stress for a dog. ‘Hearing the noise and not knowing where it’s coming from is probably much scarier for a dog, and this is why fireworks are much scarier for a dog,’ Mills says. ‘You can watch a fireworks display and know that it's not going to hit your balcony. But if you’re a dog, all you know is there’s a bang there, a bang there, and I don’t know the next bang isn’t going to happen here.”

How do I know my dog is scared?

Here are some telltale signs that your dog is scared. These are also the signs that let my wife know a movie we’re watching is too scary for me:

  • Violent shaking, trembling

  • Excessive drooling

  • Barking, howling

  • Trying to hide or get into / out of the house, fence, or other enclosure

  • Refusing to eat food

  • Loss of bladder or bowel control and/or temporary diarrhea from prolonged stress

Situational Solutions

Here is how you can prepare if you’re concerned about your pet:

  • Take your dog for a walk or get them plenty of exercise to tire them out before the fireworks begin. Some pets are too frightened to go out once the fireworks are popping, and this may lead to an “accident” later on.

  • Keep your pets indoors.

  • Close the curtains or blinds and turn on the TV or radio to provide some distraction.

  • Provide treat toys to help keep their minds busy and distract them from the fireworks.

  • Provide a quiet place, such as a carrier or crate, which may give your pet a sense of security and comfort.

  • Use a leash or carrier if you must go outside with your pet to keep them from running off which is a common response to stress and fear.

  • Make sure your pet’s ID/Microchip is current in case they get lost.

Physical Solutions

NYT’s Wirecutter had some great solutions from Dr. Wailani Sung, a veterinary behaviorist at the San Francisco SPCA.

  • Anxiety-reducing devices like a puzzle mat or a treat-filled Kong toy. “Anything that keeps the dog preoccupied and creates a positive association with going to the bed is going to tell your dog that it’s a safe, awesome place,” Sung said.

  • For dogs who have a known sound sensitivity, try a Happy Hoodie (a snood-like piece of dog headwear) or Mutt Muffs (headphones for dogs); both fit snugly over their ears and head to muffle out sound.

  • Calming sprays for dogs and cats, such as Adaptil (for dogs) and Feliway (for cats), which Wirecutter has previously recommended for when you’re flying with your cat or small dog. Both are also available as plug-in diffusers, and Sung suggests getting those ahead of time so you can spend a few days testing how effective they are at fostering a more relaxed environment. (The spray bottles can be used for heat-of-the-moment outbursts; try spraying them directly onto your pet’s bed, blanket, bandana, and the like.)

  • Pressure-Therapy: A thundershirt which has proven to relieve anxiety through pressure.

Pro-Top: Benadryl and Melatonin have also proven to be effective solutions, but please contact your vet before giving your pet any of these.

Labrador Training HQ also had a great article that did a deep-dive on causes of fear, and possible solutions:

  • Natural Relaxation - There are aroma therapy tools, such as a D.A.P. diffuser, herbal supplements, massage or sound therapy options on the market to help calm your stressed pup.

  • Noise Desensitization - Through A Dogs Ear CD Series: This CD series has multiple sound choices, including a series on canine noise phobias to help desensitize your dog to the sound of fireworks; as well as a calming CD to play when fireworks are going off outside.

To be honest, I don’t really see a ban on fireworks in our near future. But there’s a lot that we as pet parents can do to mitigate the potential harm to our pets.

What do you think?

Overheard at a 4th of July Fireworks Show…

“WHAT…?!!”

- Lewis, Brooklyn, NY

“The Squeeze”: Dog News In 60 Seconds

Today’s Last Laugh: