The 4th of July is right around the corner! Check out these tips from our friends at Fear Free Shelters to help you and your four-legged friends have a safe and fun Independence Day weekend!

Other helpful tips:

Heatstroke: Temperatures in July can easily reach over 100 degrees. Provide all animals attending holiday festivities with access to the same comforts as your human guests. Remember that your pets don’t wear shoes, so make sure they stay off the hot pavement and concrete. Designate a shaded area for pets and provide plenty of fresh water at all times.

Identification & Collar: Make sure your animal is always wearing an updated ID tag and secure collar. We recommend that you have your pet microchipped to help ensure the safe return of your pet if it ends up lost during festivities. We offer microchipping services for $25 including registration. We are also offering free ID tags now through July 8th to help prevent lost pets! Call the shelter at 805-646-6505 for details.

Food & Drinks: Dogs left unsupervised can easily get into things that are potentially hazardous such as bones, twine, & toothpicks. Foods such as onions, avocados, grapes, and yeast dough can be very dangerous to your animal’s health. Keep alcoholic drinks away from your pets! For a full list of potentially dangerous foods for your pets, visit the ASPCA website.

Insect Repellant & Sunscreen: Do not apply any insect repellant or sunscreen on your animal that is not specifically made for pets! Insect repellant with the ingredient DEET can cause neurological problems in your animal. Signs that your pet may have ingested one of these include drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst, and lethargy. Products such as Citronella candles and insect coils should be kept away from animals at all times.