Pets and fireworks don't mix, say N.B. animal owners as Canada Day displays near
CBC
While it's important to keep human ears safe from the dazzling Canada Day fireworks that will fill the skies across New Brunswick tonight, it's also a good time to think about our animal friends.
It's not just dogs and cats that can get spooked by the booming displays, either — something Andrea Mulder-Slater knows all too well.
The Bocabec, N.B., woman and her husband first brought their quarter horse Diesel home to their farm three years ago.
It just so happened that people were setting fireworks off on the nearby beach that same evening.
"[Diesel] completely and totally freaked out because the sound was very loud, it was very close," she said.
"Horses are flighty animals, so when they get scared they tend to bolt."
Luckily, the couple was able to rein Diesel in and secure him inside the stable with a radio turned up loud to distract him from the noise outside.
But Mulder-Slater knows things could've been much worse if the horse was out loose in the field.
The incident prompted her to post a plea on social media for neighbours to let others in the area know in advance if they were going to be setting off fireworks. She later had a sign made that she posted at the top of their road asking people not to set off fireworks on the beach.
It all seemed to help and the neighbours were understanding, but that doesn't mean Mulder-Slater doesn't take precautions with Diesel to this day.
"Being more aware of what could happen is a big thing," she said. "Just being prepared and knowing that when there are fireworks coming that you make sure that your animals are safe inside the same way you would with a family dog."
Bonnie-Lee Bartlett couldn't agree more.
She runs Angel's Dog Rescue in Moncton, N.B., and said she'll likely get a handful of calls about lost dogs after Tuesday night's fireworks display in the city.
If a dog decides to bolt, said Bartlett, it can be almost impossible to chase and catch, so it's best to leave your furry friends at home and not bring them to the fireworks at all.
CBC Newfoundland and Labrador is kicking off its annual holiday campaign, helping to raise money to support local food banks.
If all goes according to plan, at 6 a.m. AT on Saturday people working at the IWK Health Centre will become the test case for a generational change to Nova Scotia’s health-care system.
One month after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced what he called "generational" military spending, New Brunswick’s defence ecosystem is on high alert.
Miranda Mirlycourtois, 34, looks directly at the camera and makes a confession.
Saskatoon city hall says police spending is projected to be $2.6 million over budget this year. That pushes the city into a $1.2-million deficit position, according to a report that will be considered by city council next week.
Students at the University of Regina are days away from deciding whether a newly formed student association should become their official representative body.
All public schools on P.E.I. are closed Friday and thousands of Maritime Electric customers are without power as strong winds create hazardous travel conditions across the province.
Prince Rupert, B.C., residents are celebrating the holidays this year with coastal flair.
In the four years Chelsey Simmonds has worked at the Eva Rothwell Centre, she has seen the need increase every year at the centre’s community food pantry.
CBC is once again looking to make the holiday season kind in Windsor-Essex.
Acute Care Alberta has extended its contract for another year with a private surgical facility at the centre of probes into health procurement and contracting.
As food bank use continues to climb across the province, front-line workers in Thunder Bay, Ont., are working to improve both food security and education.
More ads could soon be coming to Toronto’s subway system.