Celebrate the 4th today?! Our Kidoodlepets Facebook page is crammed with pictures of pets in their patriotic attire, simple July 4th crafts for kids to do; fun, healthy red white and blue snacks they can make and a few tips about pets on the 4th.

Let us remind you that cats and dogs hate fireworks. They don’t like surprises and they hate loud unexpected noises!  So 1. Make sure they are waring their collars and I.D. tags, just in case they are scared and run away at the first loud cracker of the day. 2. Keep them inside if possible. In a crate is even better, dogs feel safe in their crates. Or, in a closed room where you know someone will not open it and let them out.  3. Keep the doors to the outside closed or the screens locked so someone doesn’t accidentally let them out.  4. Hold them tight when they’re scared and calmly talk to them and reassure them you will not let anything harm them. 5. If they’re really scared and you have a Thundershirt, put it on now. Leave it on all day. Lastly try to impress on friends and family that fire crackers are for the experts.  Keep it safe and happy!

Our friend Sherry is a pet rescuer and volunteer extraordinaire! Tuesday (the 1st) she told us the pet shelters were ALREADY overloaded with runaway pets – who have been scared by home fireworks. They just run as fast as they can to get away from the noise that scares them! Next thing you know they are lost.  If they’re lucky, someone catches them and tries to find their owner by I.D. tags – or takes them to a shelter of they don’t have tags, or maybe even keeps them!

On Wednesday we found a little mixed breed dog (probably part L’Hasa Apso and part poodle, it had the curly fur) roaming our company parking lot. Our building is on the corner of 2 busy streets so several of the employees were able to catch him and bring him in the office until we could find his owners. No collar, no I.D.! We put out signs with his picture and our phone number on all nearby streets. At the end of the day Sherry came by and took him to a local shelter. They keep him for 5 days before he can be adopted to give his family time to find him. If the owner is found (the shelter will see if he’s chipped) they will have to pay for a license, a spay or neuter (if not already fixed) and shots if they aren’t up to date.  In the meantime we began trying to find someone to adopt him. He was really a sweet, friendly dog. We were able to find someone that would like to give him a FOREVER home when he’s released on Saturday. Until then, he’ll be with hundreds of other dogs at the overcrowded shelter waiting for his family to find him.   🙁   At least we know he’ll be taken care of if they don’t find him.