July 4th Fireworks Sent Some Dogs Running For The Hills
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Some Chicago area animal shelters have been busy the past few days trying to reunite lost dogs with their families, after the pets were scared off by fireworks.
Calls to area shelters revealed a lot of dogs were on the run because of fireworks. One shelter ended up with 26 such dogs. Others got just a few.
Carolyn Mossberger, executive director of the West Suburban Humane Society in Downers Grove, said dogs have such keen hearing that fireworks can be painful and frightening.
"Their hearing is so much better than our hearing. Imagine hearing the noise of the fireworks. It is very painful to them, and they're very scared. They don't know what that is," she said. "A lot of times people will have their dog with them in the back yard. They'll hear a firework. The dog will startle, maybe jump a fence, pull out of a leash, or something, and run away."
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According to Mossberger, years ago, one volunteer who fosters dogs had a dog break through a window, and end up on top of a neighbor's car after getting spooked by fireworks.
"The just go into such a panic mode that they're just trying to get away, and they don't know what to do. So I have heard stories that extreme before," she said.
Mossberger said she kept her own dogs in crates, closed all her windows, and turned on the air conditioning to muffle the sound of fireworks.
Pet tranquilizers also can help, as can what's known as a thunder shirt, which fits tight and gives dogs a sense of security.
