Suffolk County, NY - July 3rd, 2014 - The July 4th holiday may be lots of fun for you and your family but may pose a very dangerous situation for your family pet. According to Roy Gross, Chief of the Suffolk County SPCA, "we may over indulge in a BBQ but the scraps fed to a dog may create gastrointestinal problems. Keep your dog on a regular diet and be sure to ask your guests not to give table food to your pet!" Any change, even for one meal, can give your pet severe indigestion and diarrhea. Foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes and raisins, salt and yeast dough can all be potentially toxic to companion animals.
A few other useful tips may help make July 4th safer for your dog:
- Loud, crowded fireworks displays are no fun for pets, so please resist the urge to take them to Independence Day festivities. Instead, keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area at home.
- Be careful about home use of any type of fire works. Neighborhood celebrations contain loud fireworks and sparklers that are very hot. Use the same caution for your pets as you do for your children.
- Keep dogs inside your home if your neighbors use fireworks. Dogs are very sensitive to loud noise and may get edgy if they are exposed to the noise from explosions.
About the Suffolk SPCA
The Suffolk County SPCA continues its appeal to the public for financial help, and support so that we may continue the work caring for the animals of Suffolk County. We are a private, nonprofit, charitable organization and the voice for animals in Suffolk County. We do not receive taxpayer or public funding and we must rely on the support and generosity of donors to exist.
Please help us to provide a better life for pets and other animals in Suffolk County. Donations can be mailed to: Suffolk County SPCA, P.O. Box 6100, Hauppauge, NY 11788-0099 or by logging onto our website.