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Khloe Kardashian Fireworks Lawsuit Teaches Lessons About Pet Safety Around Pyrotechnics

Posted By Patrick Mahaney On December 3, 2015 @ 9:02 am In Furry Foe,News,Pet360 Pet-Lebrity News | No Comments

This article originally appeared on Dr. Mahaney’s Pet-Lebrity News [1]  column on Pet360.com as Khloe Kardashian Fireworks Lawsuit Teaches Lessons About Pet Safety Around Pyrotechnics

Kardashian-Fireworks-Lawsuit.lg [2]Is your pet fearful of fireworks? It’s not uncommon for our canine and feline companions to shy away from or exhibit anxious behaviors after being exposed to scarily loud booms from rockets, firecrackers and other pyrotechnics.

Fourth of July is a common time when owners have to plan for the safety of our pets, but the year-round potential for loud and startling noises to adversely affect our furry friends exists year round.

According to TMZ [3], Khloe Kardashian is being sued by a Marina Del Ray, CA resident after his dog was traumatized by the firework display featured at the over-the-top birthday party Kardashian threw for her then-boyfriend James Harden in August. The fireworks were shot off from a boat anchored in the water outside of Marina Del Rey (you can see for yourself the grand nature of the display here [4].) The pyrotechnic event occurred at midnight and lasted for 15 minutes. There’s controversy around the local government’s approval and permitting of a firework display on a non-holiday. Nearby residents are upset, although the woman’s voice featured in the video sounds plenty amused while stating, “these are like the best fireworks ever.”

The lawsuit for $7,500 was filed in small claims court and asserts that Kardashian’s fireworks caused, “a disturbance that harmed our family and pet.” At this time, it’s unclear if the dog is suffering from health or behavior issues after having to endure the pyrotechnic event and if any medical or other bills were incurred. Also, the lengths to which the owner pursued to remove his canine companion from the area where fireworks could be seen or heard are unknown.

In my practice, I always suggest prioritizing pet health and safety over human entertainment. Here are my top firework-themed pet safety tips:

Keep Your Pet Away from Firework Displays

In general, it’s best to leave your pet in the safe confines of your home and unexposed to stressful stimuli. Bright lights, loud noises and hectic crowds can motivate our canine and feline friends to hold their own version of Independence Day by attempting to escape from scary situations. Before the fireworks start, isolate pets inside your home in a quiet, cool, segregated area. Exterior sounds can also be obscured by increasing the volume of your pet’s favorite television program or playing calming music.

An appropriately sized and sturdy crate can be used to confine your pet and prevent attempts to lunge at doors or windows and efforts to destroy or consume household objects. If your home doesn’t create a safe space for your pet, then place him with a sitter or schedule a play date in a non-firework zone.

Exercise Your Pet into a Calmer State

Take advantage of the 24 hours before a stressful event to exercise your pet into a calmer state. Physically fatigued pets are more prone to resting and are less likely to show anxious behaviors, including attempting to escape, cowering, hiding, destroying household objects, inappropriately urinating or defecating, pacing, panting, salivating, vocalizing and others.

Give an Anti-Anxiety Medication or Mild Sedative

There are a variety of products available to help reduce pet anxiety or induce sedation. As needed, natural stress-relieving remedies (such as Rescue Remedy Pet), human drugs (like Benadryl Allergy or Xanax) or veterinary prescription drugs (like Acepromazine) can also be used to provide mild sedation or reduce anxiety until the scary situation is over. All such products should be used under the guidelines of your pet’s veterinarian.

I hope that the dog mentioned in this lawsuit hasn’t incurred any physical or emotional harm as a result of the Kardashian fireworks display.

What precautionary measures do you use to keep your pets safe around fireworks?  Feel free to share your perspective in the comments section.

Image via Instagram [5]

Thank you for reading this article.  Your constructive comments are welcome (although I may not respond).

Please follow my adventures in veterinary medicine and life via:
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Copyright of this article (2015) is owned by Dr Patrick Mahaney, Veterinarian and Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. Republishing any portion of this article must first be authorized by Dr Patrick Mahaney. Requests for republishing must be approved by Dr Patrick Mahaney and received in written format.

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URLs in this post:

[1] Dr. Mahaney’s Pet-Lebrity News: http://www.pet360.com/blog/pet-lebrity-news

[2] Image: http://www.celebritypetnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Kardashian-Fireworks-Lawsuit.lg_.jpg

[3] TMZ: http://www.tmz.com/2015/10/22/khloe-kardashian-fireworks-sued

[4] the grand nature of the display here: http://www.tmz.com/2015/08/26/khloe-kardashian-james-harden-birthday-fireworks-display-on-the-ocean/

[5] Instagram: https://instagram.com/p/7yjZToBRl0/

[6] @PatrickMahaney: https://instagram.com/patrickmahaney/

[7] Patrick Mahaney, Veterinarian: Acupuncture Pain Management for Your Pets: http://www.facebook.com/patrickmahaneyveterinarian

[8] @PatrickMahaney: http://www.twitter.com/patrickmahaney

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