SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - If you’re thinking about bringing your pets to watch July 4 fireworks this weekend, a local animal shelter wants you to think again.

“They’re not for most pets,” said Marianne Moner, education coordinator at Thomas J. O’Connor (TJO) Animal Control and Adoption Center. “Pets are extremely afraid of that kind of noise.”

Last year, at least 11 dogs went missing from the Fourth of July fireworks, all of them spooked and on the run. TJO says most were reunited with their owners, but not all.

Moner says the lesson is simple: leave your pets at home.

“It’s really not a good idea to bring them into a place where if a noise does affect the dog in a way you haven’t seen before and they take off, that means they’re running around near traffic,” she said.

That goes for parades, too where loud noise and music can send even a calm dog into a panic. Moner says the safest move is to set your pet up in a quiet spot inside before you head out.

“Setting them up with some enrichment and in a quiet spot, that’s really the safest thing we can all do,” she said.

Keep your doors and windows shut tight and take the cue from your pet on how much comfort they need.

“Some dogs are learners, and that’s fine,” Moner said. “Some dogs want you to interact with them and pet them. Some just want to be in the same room with you. Let your dog make that call.”

If fireworks are going off in your neighborhood, plan ahead. Keep your pets calm, comfortable, and leashed.

Copyright 2026 Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.