![\"Jodi](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/20250819-113411-069-jodi-20peanut20-20large20cropped.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJodi Polanski and Peanut.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubmitted photo\/Lost Our Home Pet Rescue\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
By Jodi Polanski<\/p>\n
OPINION \u2014 Holiday fireworks season is in full swing, and Valley pet shelters may receive a surge of calls from distressed pet parents. Some are looking for lost pets who bolted during fireworks; others are asking for advice on how to soothe a shaking, panicked animal. And sadly, we often take in new strays \u2014 terrified dogs and cats who broke free in fear and couldn\u2019t find their way home.<\/p>\n
From where we stand as a rescue shelter on the front lines, one thing is clear \u2014 fireworks may be fun for humans, but for many pets, they\u2019re terrifying.<\/p>\n
The loud bangs, flashing lights and strange smells that occur nightly from Dec. 26 through Jan. 4, 2026, in many areas can trigger intense anxiety and even trauma. Some animals are so frightened they\u2019ll break through windows, chew through crates or scale high fences in an attempt to flee.<\/p>\n
There are steps pet owners can take to reduce their animals\u2019 stress and keep them safe, however.<\/p>\n
Fireworks safety tips for pet owners<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Keep pets indoors, ideally in a secure, quiet room away from windows. Curtains and white noise can help muffle sounds. Recognizing and treating fireworks anxiety<\/strong><\/p>\n At Lost Our Home Pet Rescue, we\u2019ve seen the emotional toll untreated anxiety can take on animals. Pets may exhibit shaking, hiding, drooling, destructive behavior or attempts to escape. While behavioral training can help, some animals \u2014 especially those with traumatic pasts \u2014 need more support. Veterinarians can recommend treatments including:<\/p>\n \u2022 Prescription anxiety medications (e.g., trazodone, alprazolam) If you adopt a pet, we strongly encourage early desensitization to loud noises \u2014 but it must be done gradually and compassionately.<\/p>\n We love celebrations, too. But when we\u2019re standing beside a trembling dog or a cat frozen with fear, our priority is their safety. Let\u2019s all ensure everyone, two-legged and four-legged, has a safe and happy holiday!<\/p>\n Jodi Polanski is executive director of Tempe-based Lost Our Home Pet Rescue.\u00a0 This opinion first published on YourValley.net before the Independence Day holiday Please submit comments at\u00a0yourvalley.net\/letters<\/a> or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org.\u00a0We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our\u00a0Civility Guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jodi Polanski and Peanut. Submitted photo\/Lost Our Home Pet Rescue By Jodi Polanski OPINION \u2014 Holiday fireworks season…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":160583,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5131],"tags":[5229,5643,1587,5864,7709,7926,1589,8152,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":{"0":"post-475060","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-phoenix","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-arizona","10":"tag-az","11":"tag-fireworks","12":"tag-holidays","13":"tag-pets","14":"tag-phoenix","15":"tag-safety","16":"tag-united-states","17":"tag-united-states-of-america","18":"tag-unitedstates","19":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","20":"tag-us","21":"tag-usa"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115791849791899691","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475060","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=475060"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475060\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/160583"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=475060"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=475060"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=475060"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\u2022 Update your pet\u2019s ID tags and microchip information to help them get home if they do escape.
\u2022 Create a calming space with familiar toys, blankets and treats. Some animals respond well to calming music or pheromone diffusers.
\u2022 Avoid bringing pets to fireworks displays. Even well-trained, calm dogs can panic and bolt.
\u2022 Consult your vet about anxiety treatments. There are effective anti-anxiety medications and calming supplements available that can make a big difference.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Over-the-counter calming aids (CBD, melatonin, pheromone sprays)
\u2022 Compression garments like ThunderShirts
\u2022 Behavior modification therapy or desensitization techniques<\/p>\n