Tips For Pet Owners To Keep Their Pets Safe During July 4th Fireworks; Steps Should Be Taken Now To Ensure An Enjoyable Holiday

Fourth of July is the busiest day for National Pet Recovery Hotline. AKC Companion Animal Recovery encourages a microchip ID to aid in return of runaway pets and offers other safety tips.

Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) June 28, 2004 -- Fourth of July fireworks are fun, but they may not be enjoyable for every member of your family, especially pets. The noise from exploding fireworks can cause many pets to become frightened and run away. The American Kennel Clubs Companion Animal Recovery program is urging pet owners across America to take the necessary precaution of microchipping and enrolling their pets immediately to make sure their beloved animals are safe and can be identified if lost during the holiday.

Independence Day is the busiest day of the year for AKC Companion Animal Recovery and the National Pet Recovery Hotline. Each year, the hotline receives hundreds of calls from owners of pets that have run away from noisy fireworks. That is why now is the time pet owners should prepare for their pets safety.

AKC Companion Animal Recovery encourages pet owners to permanently I.D. their pets by having them microchipped and enrolled in the Companion Animal Recovery database. The chip" is implanted just under the skin in the neck of most pets and can be detected and read by a scanner used by veterinarians, animal shelters or other agencies. Those agencies can then contact the National Pet Recovery Hotline (1-800-252-7894) and arrange to have the lost pets reunited with their owners. If a pet is already microchipped it is important owners call the Pet Recovery Hotline and confirm their animal is in the database with accurate and up-to-date information.

July Fourth is supposed to be a time of celebration and fun with friends and family," said Dr. Carmen Battaglia, president of AKC Companion Animal Recovery. It would be a shame to have the holiday ruined by the tragedy of losing a pet because it couldnt be identified and reunited with its owner. That is why it is so important for pet owners to have their pets microchipped and enrolled in the Companion Animal Recovery database."

Over 2.3 million pets are enrolled in the AKC Companion Animal Recovery database, the largest direct-to-owner database of microchipped pets in the United States. In addition, more than 205,000 lost pets have been recovered through the Companion Animal Recovery program.

Other Fourth of July precautions for your pet should include:
· Keeping your pets inside and safe after dusk during the fireworks season.
· Turn on a fan, radio or television to muffle the sound of the fireworks.
· If your pets become agitated, place them in a room without any windows; if pets become extremely agitated, you can check with your veterinarian about mild tranquilizers.
· Do not to take your pets with you to fireworks displays.

About the AKC Companion Animal Recovery Program

The American Kennel Club formed the non-profit AKC Companion Animal Recovery program in 1995 as a public service to help pet owners reunited with their lost animals by using a permanent identification process. AKC Companion Animal Recovery is an affiliate of the American Kennel Club and is a 501 c (3) not-for-profit organization. For more information you can visit the Companion Animal Recovery website at www.akccar.org or call the National Pet Recovery Hotline at 1-800-252-7894 or email found@akc.org.

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