Who is Still Shooting Off Fireworks on JULY 17th?!?!

I want to send out an acknowledgment to the person who was shooting fireworks on Monday…which was THIRTEEN WHOLE DAYS AFTER FOURTH OF JULY!

Dear Unknown Neighbor:

Thank You so, SO much. It’s been a few years since I’ve tested my dog's panic reflex to loud noises. Thanks to you, whoever you are, I can now confirm: my dogs still freak the **** out when they hear fireworks.

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I THOUGHT I fully understood the deal with fireworks.

Of course, I keep the dogs (I have 2 German Shepherds) inside ON the Fourth of July. I keep them inside after dark for the week leading UP to the Fourth.

I understand. You’ve got fireworks and you want to try a few out BEFORE Independence Day.  I make sure the dogs are inside the week AFTER July 4, too. Maybe some people didn’t finish off their firecrackers. They might need a few days. I GET it.

But July 17^th?? At 7:30 at night??

BEFORE the sun even goes down??

If my dogs ONLY got scared, I wouldn’t think it’s a big deal. And they DO get scared. To the point where they try to escape the yard BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY.  After the July 17 display started, they were shaking…like the proverbial leaves…for a full 30 minutes.

I’m a proud American. I know the sense of pride in one’s home country that can only be expressed by blowing up chunks of that country. I’m VERY pro-fireworks. It’s kind of a miracle that I still have all 10 fingers. I don’t want to spoil anyone’s fun here.

What I’m suggesting is that we all agree to keep the shooting of fireworks (which you’re NOT supposed to do inside the city limits anyway) confined to an agreed-upon time frame.

Dog owners should KNOW that July 4 IS a day/night for fireworks. I’ll even give you 5 days prior and 5 days AFTER the Fourth to get it all out of your system. I’d even be willing to concede New Year’s Eve, New Year's Day, AND Chinese New Year (I respect other cultures).

Outside of that, I think fireworks should ONLY be set off out in the country somewhere. And, at minor league baseball games, I guess.

I’m appealing to fireworks fans who also might be dog lovers. If you’re going to shoot fireworks TWO FULL WEEKS after the 4^th of July, you should just be aware that you are scaring the living bejesus out of ALL of the dogs within at least a mile radius.

A little courtesy is all we’re asking for here, folks.