These Dogs Have Run Away Since The Scary NJ Fireworks

Dogs have a heightened sense of hearing and the boom-boom-boom of fireworks is traumatic for them. So if they were around fireworks this July 4th weekend in New Jersey, they may have felt compelled to bolt, according to animal welfare experts.

So it should be no surprise that many pets that run away on the Fourth of July are never reunited with their owners. The National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy estimates that fewer than 2 percent of cats and 20 percent of dogs entering shelters are reunited with families.

New Jersey is no exception: Below is a long list of dogs that have disappeared since the loud noises could be heard from their windows since July 3, when many of the fireworks events started.

Dallas Harsa, the vice president of sales and marketing for the American Kennel Club’s Reunite program, which helps return lost dogs to their owners, said there are many factors that influence this.

“Barbecues, many people coming in and out of the house, and even the noise of the fireworks, which may cause pets to panic and they will try to flee somewhere," Harsa said in a news release. "They don’t know where the noise is coming from and they try to escape because they don’t understand.”

Here’s a tip: If your dog runs and cowers under the bed at the sound of the first clap of thunder, the cacophony of fireworks will be “utterly terrifying,” according to the American Humane Society. Even dogs that are secured with a leash or chain can break loose and jump a high fence when frightened.

Here are some dogs that have gone missing in New Jersey:

• A Toms River family is seeking help finding their lost Yorkie who went missing during the fireworks on Thursday evening. Read more: Help This Missing Dog Get Home In Toms River
• Police are asking for the public's help finding the owner of a lost dog found in Essex County on Friday. Read more: Missing Dog In Essex County May Have Escaped From Yard: Police

Here are others:

Here are five things to do to keep your dogs safe:

• Take the pooches on extra-long walks and engage in extra play time to tire them out before the festivities begin.
• Leave the dogs at home when you and the family go out to watch fireworks displays. It’s best to sequester them inside and make a place for them where they’re shielded from loud noises. Run a fan or soft classical music.
• If you already know the dogs are frightened by loud noises, don’t leave them alone while you’re out celebrating. Make sure someone can stay behind with them.
• If dogs become highly agitated in noisy situations, consult your veterinarian in advance to determine if tranquilizers are an option. There are some non-prescription alternatives, like ThunderShirt anti-anxiety jackets (they make them for cats, too) that apply gentle, constant pressure similar to swaddling an infant, the makers say.
• Make sure the dogs are microchipped and that their licenses are current, and that ID tags with contact information are properly affixed to the pooch’s collar, which should fit securely enough the dog can’t slip out of it. This information is vital to a reunion if your pet does run away.

With reporting by Beth Dalbey, Patch Staff