No fireworks of any sort allowed. Fire departments are first responders to any type of fireworks. All we have to do is call in. They will call the police if needed. Animals are already breathing easier. I know I am.

… and that’s apparently not going to stop the idiots from blowing shit up.

We've had several days of really difficult air following fires. We are, unfortunately, perfect tinder for fires right now.

... and thunder. My current dog just doesn't care. She's fine.


... just lucky, this time.

He can't be "persuaded" out of his fear via pets, reassuring voices or even a Thundershirt.

At least our wire fox terrier has gone on to the great beyond. I suspect the poor boy witnessed his former owner being shot in a drug deal (apparently thought he’d breed dogs on the side to look legit and his parents didn’t give AF and gave the dogs away) and I always had to make sure he peed by mid afternoon because he wouldn’t leave my side once the explosives started. I was working from home graveyard shift then and the poor wee dude just wrapped himself around my ankles and shook all damned night.

We now have a “feral” cat we’d been feeding for almost four years now. Tried taking her in during a hurricane and she FREAKED, so I thought she’d never be an indoor cat. Forced her to move with us over a year ago (still an outdoor cat) and she stuck to our yard but suddenly disappeared a couple weeks ago. Thought we’d lost her but she suddenly turned up thin as a rail and barely able to stay upright. Whatever trauma she went through, she’s an indoor cat now—and seems VERY glad to be so—but seems more afraid of the loud noises happening now than ever, so will undoubtedly be glued to one of us all night, just like the not-so-good old days with Duncan.

Why did blowing things up become redneck America’s pastime? I guess our county’s burn ban doesn’t apply because there aren’t enough cops to ride herd over 60,000 morons. New Year’s and 4th of July just suck for pets. *sigh*

Heard maybe two or three fireworks, and that was it. Tonight might be different; from our back yard we can see several fireworks shows from the small towns around us.