A couple in Greenville South Carolina, Mary Lynn Whitacre and Ryan, noticed that their 18 mo old dog Rajah had been spooked by the fireworks and had escaped from their backyard. Since their dog was so fast they had no way of knowing how far away she would be. The couple searched for their dog for 7 hours but couldn’t find her and had become quite worried.
“Ryan and I were freaking out and we felt really helpless,” Mary said.
Around 3 am the family awoke to the sound of the doorbell ringing. It turns out that Rajah had walked up onto the front porch and pushed the doorbell with her nose! “It was the longest seven hours of my life,” Whitacre said.
The pet parents were baffled, they have no idea that Rajah knew what a doorbell was let alone how to use it. She must have seen someone press one before but admitted that they don’t use it much themselves.
The Whitacre couple works from home and so there hasn’t been much on an occasion for doorbell ringing.
Rajah had been on quite the adventure
“She had thorns on her and seemed to have rolled in poop,” Whitacre explained. “So, it seems like she had a great time.” Rajah did act strangely upon returning home. She behaved as though she thought she was in trouble.
“She thought she was in so much trouble and she was sad and sulking, but we were like ‘we’re just happy you’re back.’ It was hilarious, and we couldn’t stop laughing.”
The couple has already made plans to make sure Rajah isn’t alone during the 4th of July weekend to prevent more breakouts and make sure she is comfortable.
Many Pets Get Scared During Fireworks
The Fourth of July is a holiday filled with celebration and patriotism. It’s also a day to be careful of your pets! Every year on Independence Day, many people have their animals spooked by the loud noises from fireworks. This can lead to them running away and getting lost. Make sure that you are following these safety tips for the 4th so that your pet has an enjoyable time this holiday:
1) Keep your pets indoors in a quiet room with relaxing music playing on low volume.
2) Vets offices may be able to provide calming sprays or sometimes even weighted vests for dogs and cats if they start feeling anxious during fireworks displays.
3) Spend time with your pet so that they feel supported.
When it comes to protecting your pets this July Fourth, you have a lot of safety options at your disposal! Make sure that they are protected by following these tips so that both humans and animals alike can enjoy the holiday in peace.
Wild animals such as birds will also get scared off by the fireworks and can die from their disorientation.
Zoo animals have also shown a great deal of stress from fireworks.