I Know Your Dogs Hate Fireworks, I Just Don’t Care [OPINION]

The following article contains the strong, and likely unpopular views of the author only. The opinions expressed within are not necessarily those of Townsquare Media, Banana 101.5, or their advertisers.

Tell your dog to take a step back. It's standing on my freedom.

There have been two recurring themes over this long, great holiday weekend -- excessive fireworks and excessive pet owner complaints about said fireworks. I haven't opened my news feed once all weekend without seeing a different dog owner complaining about fireworks "scawing my pwecious wittle schmoopykins." I hate to break it to you, but fireworks are here to stay. Get over it.

Listen, I get it. You love your dog and that's cool, but don't expect everyone else to uproot hundreds of years of tradition so your dog can be "more comfortable." You chose to be a dog owner. Just like with having kids, you're going to have to make some sacrifices. It's part of the deal. So you might have to endure a couple of long nights... cry me a river. You made your choice -- now live with it.

It's actually kind of insulting that you expect us to care about your dog's anxiety when there are people out there with PTSD and other legitimate reasons for hating fireworks. I understand that situation and sympathize greatly with those who are reminded of the horrors of war when they hear loud blasts. They actually have a very valid case to make against the excessive use of fireworks, but you know how many complaints like that I saw/heard this weekend? None. It was all about the dogs.

As a society, we've made plenty of concessions for animals, especially dogs, over the last few decades. You can take your dogs pretty much anywhere now without even getting a weird look, despite the fact that there are those of us who would rather not hear them barking all the way through 'Spider-Man: Homecoming.' Believe it or not -- you're not the only ones who can be inconvenienced by your dog's behavior. In fact, most times it's the other way around.

Setting off fireworks is a time-honored 4th of July tradition that dates all the way back to 1777, exactly one year after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Within that great document, it states:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Now if you can find the part where it says our pursuit of happiness is to be denied in the case that it might hurt your dog's feelings, please let me know.

The bottom line is this -- fireworks look cool and most people enjoy watching them. Personally, it makes me really happy to see a bunch of people, in a greatly divided country, all celebrating the same thing -- that we have the freedom to blow some s*** up in honor of a pretty kick ass country. If your dog doesn't like it -- throw it in a pet carrier it and kick rocks. I hear Canada's nice this time of year.