Protect pets from Fourth of July fireworks

Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) offers these tips to help your pet cope with the noise from fireworks, and reduce the chance that it runs away.

• Keep your pet secured indoors in the quietest room of your home while fireworks are audible. You can also use soothing music or television as a distraction. Some pets will stay calmer when placed in a secure crate in a darkened, quiet room.
• If your pet is normally kept outside, bring them inside or put them in a well-ventilated garage or shed or in a basement while fireworks are going off.
• Make sure your pet has at least two forms of identification. This can be a pet license and personalized tag, a license and a microchip, or all three (license, tag, and microchip). Pets with ID have a much greater chance of being returned to their owners.
• Don't assume that your pet won’t react just because you haven’t had problems in the past. Sometimes, pets become sensitive to loud noises later in life.

If your pet is lost, check with PAWS, and check back often. It may take some time before spooked pets are brought to shelters.

Animal Shelter

Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, and Kenmore's primary animal shelter is operated by PAWS Progressive Animal Welfare Society. PAWS is located in the City of Lynnwood about 20 minutes north, just off of Highway 99.

PAWS, 15305 44th Ave W, Lynnwood, WA 98087, 425-787-2500.

The PAWS website has extensive information about searching for a lost pet.