How fireworks affect wildlife, pets

SALT LAKE CITY — Wildlife officials and animal shelters are providing information ahead of Pioneer Day on how fireworks could affect animals and how to prepare pets for Friday’s illuminations.

Faith Jolley, spokesperson for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, said fireworks likely only impact wildlife in small, localized areas.

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“Most wildlife in urban areas near fireworks are likely already used to strange sounds,” Jolley said. “The majority of wildlife live in areas where fireworks aren’t being used.”

For bird species, Jolley said the impacts vary a lot by species, timing, duration and proximity of the fireworks.

“A robin in a more remote area of the Uintas will likely be more reactive to fireworks than a robin at Sugarhouse Park in Salt Lake City,” Jolley said. “But something like a brewer’s sparrow at the park will have already been displaced by habitat loss and disturbances from the park, long before the fireworks show occurs.”

Although Jolley said fireworks may trigger increased stress in wild birds, survival rates and reproduction typically aren’t affected because fireworks are usually set off in areas already dealing with other habitat loss and alteration.

“Fireworks set off in more natural areas outside of city limits pose a fire risk and have a proportionally higher impact on wildlife, even if they don’t result in a wildfire,” Jolley said.

Jolley gave the example of neighborhood pet dogs and how they’re impacted by fireworks.

“Some aren’t bothered by fireworks, some hate them, but generally, they all survive,” Jolley said.

Firework safety around pets

It’s important for owners to think about their pets with any holiday involving fireworks, according to Patrick Theobald, communities programs manager at Best Friends Animal Society in Salt Lake City.

Theobald recommended owners provide a safe, quiet space inside their house for pets to stay while fireworks are going off. It can also help to give pets their favorite toys, keep the space dark and to provide noise from a TV or radio to help keep pets calm.

If you find a lost dog or cat who may have run off in fear of fireworks, Theobald said the first thing people can do is take them to a vet clinic, animal shelter or even a pet store.

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“Have them scan for (a) microchip,” Theobald said. “And if the microchip is registered, it is super easy to contact the owner and make sure their pet gets back to them quickly.”

In the situation where the lost pet doesn’t have a microchip and doesn’t have a collar or ID, the best option is to take the pet to a local municipal shelter since Theobald said that’s the first place most people look for their pets.

Most shelters have a finder foster program where people who are able and willing can temporarily provide the lost pet with a temporary home if necessary, according to Theobald. He said people who find a lost pet can let the shelter know they are interested in fostering the animal. From there, the shelter registers the pet in its system so it knows where the animal is when the owners come looking for it.

Leading up to Pioneer Day, Theobald said it’s important for owners to make sure their own pets have a collar, ID tags that are up to date and to make sure a pet’s microchip contact information is also up to date.

It’s important to keep in mind that some dogs can be a little too interested in fireworks.

“There are some dogs who really like being at parties and being out around people,” Theobald said. “It’s also important to keep those dogs in mind if you are lighting off firecrackers and tossing them. Some dogs like to chase things that move along the ground like that.”

Theobald added how it’s important to keep your dog on a leash when they’re around anything potentially hazardous.

“Dogs don’t always make the best decisions, and you don’t want a dog running up and trying to grab a sparkler or some other thing that is potentially going to injure them,” Theobald said.

Lastly, it’s important to let party guests know the rules around your pet and make sure people aren’t opening gates or doors and leaving them open, which increases the risk of your dog or cat running off when they get scared.