PHOENIX — Fireworks can be scary for many pets, so Maricopa County Animal Care and Control is looking for volunteers to help “calm the canines.”
You can visit the Maricopa County shelters on July 4 at 8 p.m. to hang out with the animals to keep them calm during the loud fireworks shows.
If you want to help out, you don’t have to register beforehand, MCACC says. You can just show up, go through a safety briefing, and divide into groups with current volunteers to stay with the dogs.
MCACC says they encourage people to read to the animals, play or sing soft music, or just sit with them and keep them company.
IF YOU GO:
- MCACC East: 2630 W Rio Salado Parkway, Mesa
- MCACC West: 2500 S 27th Avenue, Phoenix
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If you have pets that may be spooked by loud noises like fireworks, the Arizona Humane Society offers a few tips to keep them safe:
- Make sure they are properly identified: make sure they are wearing a collar with an ID tag and are microchipped with current information.
- Keep them cool: be sure to have plenty of shade, water and a space off of hot pavement. Scared dogs are more at risk for heat stroke.
- Keep them indoors and distracted: create a safe space where they cannot escape. Have a bed, toys, water and background noise to distract them.
To report an animal in distress, you can call AHS' Emergency Animal Medical Technicians at 602-997-7585, ext. 2073.
