Fireworks can be stressful: How to help yourself, your pets [Video]

BANGOR, Maine — The Fourth of July is punctuated each year by fireworks displays. While many enjoy their sights and sounds, some people and pets find it distressing.

Beyond fireworks, crowds, changes in routine, and unfamiliar settings can all be impactful, according to child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Rachel Conrad.

She emphasizes talking about mental health and planning ahead for stressful events.

“Thinking about the coping strategies that will be available and that can be helpful in that moment and to have an ongoing conversation about where things are in terms of triggers and what coping skills will be available,” Conrad said. 

Fourth of July festivities and fireworks can also be stressful for our pets. The Bangor Humane Society reports that staff have seen up to a 45-percent …