TOP TEN 4th of July PET Safety Tips

Pictured: Victoria's Dog, "Gunnison" and Her Nephew, Hunter July 4, 2016.

Article Excerpted from PetMD.com & Written By Yahaira Cespedes

Like many Americans, you may be planning to have a festive Fourth of July. Along with barbeques and day at the beach, no July holiday celebration would be complete without enjoying the fireworks that celebrate the birth of our nation.

Perhaps you are considering staying at home and planning a get-together with friends and family. Or, you may want to go check out your local professional fireworks display. While putting the finishing touches on your planned celebration, take a moment to consider your pets.

Unlike people, pets don’t associate the noise, flashes, and burning smell of pyrotechnics with celebrations. Pets are terrified of fireworks, and often panic at the loud whizzes and bangs they produce.

Because of this, the American Humane Association reports that July 5 is the busiest day of the year for animal shelters. Why? In a 2005 press release the Indiana Proactive Animal Welfare, Inc. (PAW) stated that animal shelters the day after Fourth of July are “inundated with pets that panicked at the noise of firecrackers and fled into the night, winding up lost, injured or killed.”

Both the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and PAW have listed ways you can prevent your holiday celebration from turning into a tragedy. Here are 10 tips on how to keep your pet from panicking this Fourth of July weekend.

10. Keep your Pet Indoors at All Times!

It may seem obvious, but even if your pet is used to being outside, the resulting panic caused by fireworks or other loud noises may make them break their restraint or jump a fence in a terrified attempt to find safety.

9. Don’t Put Insect Repellant on Your Pet that isn’t Specifically for Pet Use

The same tip applies to applying “people” sunscreen on your pet. What isn’t toxic to humans can be toxic to animals. The ASPCA lists the poisonous effects of sunscreen on your pet as, “…drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy.” DEET, a common insecticide, may cause neurological issues.

8. Alcoholic Drinks Poison Pets

If your pet drinks alcohol, they can become dangerously intoxicated, go into a coma, or in severe cases, die from respiratory failure. Yes, even beer is toxic; fermented hops and ethanol are poisonous to dogs and cats.

7. Going to a Fireworks Display? Leave Your Pet at Home

The safest place for your pet is at home, not in a crowded, unfamiliar and noisy place. The combination of too many people and loud fireworks will make your beloved pet freak out and desperately seek shelter. Locking them in the car is also not an option; your pet may suffer brain damage and heat stroke.

6. Have Your Pet Properly Identified

If your pet manages to break loose and become lost, without proper identification it will be that much harder to get them back. Consider fitting your pet with microchip identification, ID tags with their name and your phone number, or both. It is also a good idea to have a recent picture of your pets in case you have to put up signs.

5. Keep Your Pet Away from Glow Jewelry

It might look cute, but your pet could chew up and swallow the plastic adornments. The ASPCA states that while not highly toxic, “excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation could still result from ingestions, and intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers.”

4. NEVER Use Fireworks Around Pets

While lit fireworks can pose a danger to curious pets and potentially result in severe burns and/or trauma to the face and paws, even unused fireworks can be hazardous. Some fireworks contain potentially toxic substances such as arsenic, potassium nitrate, and other heavy metals.

3. Don’t Give Your Pet “Table Food”

If you are having a backyard barbeque, you may be tempted to slip some snacks to your pet. But like beer and chocolate, there are other festive foods that could harm your pet. Onions, coffee, avocado, grapes & raisins, salt and yeast dough are all possible hazards for dogs and cats.

2. Lighter Fluid and Matches Are Harmful to Pets.

The ASPCA lists chlorates as a harmful chemical substance found in some matches that, if ingested, can cause your pet difficulty in breathing, damage blood cells or even cause kidney disease. If exposed to lighter fluid, your pet may sustain skin irritation on contact, respiratory problems if inhaled, and gastric problems if ingested.

1. Citronella Insect Control Products Harm Pets, Too.

Oils, candles, insect coils and other citronella-based repellants are irritating toxins to pets, according to the ASPCA. The result of inhalation can cause severe respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia, and ingestion can harm your pet’s nervous system.

***

The safest and best bet for celebrating this Fourth of July with your pets is to exclude them from holiday festivities, at least this time around. Instead, find a safe, secure spot in the home for your pets while you go out and enjoy the loud bangs, bright lights and spectator fun. Your pets will appreciate the quiet a lot more than you’ll enjoy the noise.

CENTRAL TEXAS SUMMER CAMPS GUIDE

I'd have to say that attending summer camp every summer as a child impacted my life so positively.  I was able to get away from the normalcy of my town and meet new friends, learn more about my talents and build my self confidence.  I am still friends with many of my cabin mates from years ago at Camp Longhorn, one of the best overnight camps in the state of Texas, in my opinion.  I was a camper for years there and went on to be a counselor. 

I've included a variety of camps dotted throughout Central Texas including: adventure, arts, music, science, dance, faith, special needs and equestrian based camps.

Be sure to read the notable questions you should be asking before choosing a camp for your child.

I thank my preferred title company, Independence Title, for putting together this awesome guide that is sure to impact your child for the best for years to come.

10 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Camp for Your Child:

 

(1) What’s the camp’s philosophy? Is it one you're comfortable with as a parent? Is it a good match for your child's temperament? Is competition or cooperation emphasized? If it's a camp run by a religious organization, what religious observances or practices are part of the program?

(2) How does the camp recruit, screen and train its staff? Do counselors have criminal background checks? First aid training?

(3) What about return rates? How many counselors are returning this year? The ACA says at most camps, 40-60 percent of the staff returns. If the number you're given is lower, ask why. How many campers return? Fifty percent is good, and more is better.

(4) What's the ratio of counselors to campers? ACA guidelines for overnight camps call for a 1:6 ratio for ages 7 and 8, 1:8 for ages 9-14; and 1:10 for ages 15-18. Day camp guidelines call for 1:8 for children ages 6-8; 1:10 for children ages 9-14; and 1:12 for ages 15-18.

(5) How old are the counselors? The ACA recommends that 80 percent of the staff be 18 or older and that all staffers be at least 16 and a minimum of two years older than the campers they supervise.

(6) What medical staff work at the camp and what backup facilities are nearby? While most states have regulations for camps, there is no federal oversight of camps' health and safety. The ACA recommends that an overnight camp have a licensed physician or registered nurse on the site every day, and that day camps should have direct phone access. If your child takes medication, has food allergies or a chronic medical condition, be sure you are comfortable that the camp will be able to handle your child's needs.

(7) What is the camp's approach to discipline and how does the camp handle conflicts between campers? Find out what the camp's rules are and what breaches would result in a camper being sent home. You should be comfortable that the camp's practices are in line with your parenting practices.

(8) What does a typical daily schedule look like? This will help you decide if your child will be happy with the level of physical activity or the amount of time devoted to arts and crafts. Ask how much freedom a child has to choose activities.

(9) Will the camp be transporting the children? What vehicles are used and how often are they inspected? Who drives them and what training do drivers have? Ask for references.

(10) Finally and most important, get the names of parents with children the same age who have attended the camp.

CENTRAL TEXAS SUMMER CAMPS GUIDE

I'd have to say that attending summer camp every summer as a child impacted my life so positively.  I was able to get away from the normalcy of my town and meet new friends, learn more about my talents and build my self confidence.  I am still friends with many of my cabin mates from years ago at Camp Longhorn, one of the best overnight camps in the state of Texas, in my opinion.  I was a camper for years there and went on to be a counselor. 

I've included a variety of camps dotted throughout Central Texas including: adventure, arts, music, science, dance, faith, special needs and equestrian based camps.

Be sure to read the notable questions you should be asking before choosing a camp for your child.

I thank my preferred title company, Independence Title, for putting together this awesome guide that is sure to impact your child for the best for years to come.

10 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Camp for Your Child:

 

(1) What’s the camp’s philosophy? Is it one you're comfortable with as a parent? Is it a good match for your child's temperament? Is competition or cooperation emphasized? If it's a camp run by a religious organization, what religious observances or practices are part of the program?

(2) How does the camp recruit, screen and train its staff? Do counselors have criminal background checks? First aid training?

(3) What about return rates? How many counselors are returning this year? The ACA says at most camps, 40-60 percent of the staff returns. If the number you're given is lower, ask why. How many campers return? Fifty percent is good, and more is better.

(4) What's the ratio of counselors to campers? ACA guidelines for overnight camps call for a 1:6 ratio for ages 7 and 8, 1:8 for ages 9-14; and 1:10 for ages 15-18. Day camp guidelines call for 1:8 for children ages 6-8; 1:10 for children ages 9-14; and 1:12 for ages 15-18.

(5) How old are the counselors? The ACA recommends that 80 percent of the staff be 18 or older and that all staffers be at least 16 and a minimum of two years older than the campers they supervise.

(6) What medical staff work at the camp and what backup facilities are nearby? While most states have regulations for camps, there is no federal oversight of camps' health and safety. The ACA recommends that an overnight camp have a licensed physician or registered nurse on the site every day, and that day camps should have direct phone access. If your child takes medication, has food allergies or a chronic medical condition, be sure you are comfortable that the camp will be able to handle your child's needs.

(7) What is the camp's approach to discipline and how does the camp handle conflicts between campers? Find out what the camp's rules are and what breaches would result in a camper being sent home. You should be comfortable that the camp's practices are in line with your parenting practices.

(8) What does a typical daily schedule look like? This will help you decide if your child will be happy with the level of physical activity or the amount of time devoted to arts and crafts. Ask how much freedom a child has to choose activities.

(9) Will the camp be transporting the children? What vehicles are used and how often are they inspected? Who drives them and what training do drivers have? Ask for references.

(10) Finally and most important, get the names of parents with children the same age who have attended the camp.