As Canadians prepare to celebrate our national holiday this weekend, we may be preparing the barbecue and the lawn chairs, but we also need to prepare our pets.

Fireworks are upsetting to animals not only because of the noise, but also because of the exploding lights and the smell of sulfur.

The safest thing to do, to begin with, is ensure that your pets are kept indoors when there is any possibility of fireworks taking place. This can be a challenge at the height of summer, when doors and windows may be left open as people are coming and going onto the back patio or in and out the front door. Animals can become frightened and disoriented, fleeing irrationally from the home, where they are safe, into places where they can be in danger.

Ensure that your pet’s identification, license and microchips or tattoos are up-to-date in the event that they do become lost outside. (If your pet becomes lost, or you find a lost animal, your first call should be the RAPS-run City of Richmond Animal Shelter: 604-275-2036.)

Make sure you have located your pet — cats, especially, are masters at hiding — a comfortable period of time before you expect fireworks to begin. Dinner time is a good opportunity to find out where the animals are and keep them close by for the rest of the evening. Walk the dog well before you anticipate fireworks will begin.

Keep the lights on in the house. This can make your pet feel more secure instead of being scared in a dark room.

Close the curtains if the fireworks are nearby to reduce the impact of flashing lights. Turn up the stereo or television to drown out foreign noises with familiar sounds (but do not turn them up so loud that they upset the animal as much as the fireworks might!).

Think about limiting your pets and family to a single room, make it comfortable, create a cozy getaway under a table or behind a chair, equip it with your pet’s favourite toys. Ensure that the room is a pleasant temperature.

Bring the pet’s food bowl and water bowl into the room with you, so that both their physical needs are met but also, emotionally, they feel like everything is normal.

Keep your own mood and demeanour calm and upbeat. If your dog shows anxiety, do not respond by showing your own anxiety. Make calming noises and pet them if they are in arm’s reach, but don’t fuss too much.

Aim to keep the dog or cat indoors overnight because, even after the fireworks end, the anxiety can remain and they may behave irrationally.

In extraordinary cases, a veterinarian can provide sedation to animals who may be at risk of harming themselves from anxiety. There are also commercial products, like the Thundershirt, which may help some animals overcome their feelings of nervousness. You can also make one yourself.

Preparing in advance and anticipating reactions is key to preventing unnecessary anxiety and potential harm.

These few steps can ensure that you and your companion animals enjoy a happy and healthy Canada Day.