MCACCThe Fourth of July is a time of celebration for thousands of Americans who take to the streets with carnivals, parades, BBQs and fireworks to mark Independence Day.
Americans come together to mark the anniversary of when the Continental Congress declared the thirteen American colonies were no longer subject to the British monarch, uniting them in their freedom.
But while the celebrations are joyous time for many, the noise and the fireworks can be a bit too much for our four-legged friends who are sensitive to loud noises.
GettyIt’s even worse for poor pooches who don’t have a home and have nowhere to hide from all the scary noises.
However, one shelter has come up with a genius idea to help the homeless pups relax during the national holiday.
Maricopa County Animal Care and Control has launched a new Independence Day tradition called Calming the Canines and it’s all about proving that kindness is patriotic.
Last year, more than 300 people turned up at the shelter’s two locations in Phoenix, Arizona, to help soothe the paranoid pooches during the celebrations.
MCACCIn a press release, the shelter’s development director Ben Swan said:
It was overwhelming to see how the community responded. It really helped spread our message that MCACC is here to help.
Amy Angel, who runs the AZ Dawg Saverz Facebook page, attended Calming the Canines.
Speaking of her experience she wrote on Facebook:
Some people sang to them, some people read to them, some people just sat there and gave treats!
It was so, so awesome because the dogs absolutely love the attention and were focused on the people and not the fireworks going on outside.
MCACCAnd it even went deeper than just one night of comfort for the pooches, as many of the people who attended the night came back to adopt dogs from the shelters.
The MCACC wrote:
Many participants developed lasting relationships with the shelter, returning to provide foster care, adopt a pet or volunteer.
After the success of last year, the MCACC is recommending anyone who attends to bring blankets to sit on, or folding chairs, and to let the dog or cat approach them to sit calmly and quietly.
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Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.