LOUISVILLE, Ky. — If you have a pet, you’re going to want to give him or her plenty of head scratches and belly rubs this weekend. Jesica Brotzge, the president of the Arrow Fund, said firework displays can be stressful for our four-legged friends.

“Loud noises, especially for a lot of pets who have had some sort of trauma in the past, is a trigger," she said. "It makes them anxious, you’ll see pacing, whimpering, shaking. There are some things you can do to alleviate those things.”

Pet owners may want to start planning and preparing for this weekend. Thunder Over Louisville will be different in 2021 with changes made to follow COVID-19 safety guidelines. 

Kentucky Derby Festival organizers said Saturday’s event will feel a little more like the Fourth of July. To prevent too many people from gathering, fireworks will be set off at five different locations around the city instead of solely at the Waterfront. 

Thunder Over Louisville’s fireworks have a set timeframe between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. each year. Brotzge said knowing this information will be helpful for pet owners to prepare. She noted many Kentuckians adopted pets during the pandemic and recommends first-time pet owners take a little extra care.

"If you have a new pet and you don’t know yet, it might be a good idea to stay home with them and gauge that for the first time," she suggested.

She says this week might be a good time to call your veterinarian to see if they have suggestions on curbing your pet's anxiety. Things like thunder shirts and other calming methods could be valuable options.

Brotzge said that what’s best for your pet is to be near them during that 9:30 to 10 p.m. window.

“Sitting with them. Talking to them. Petting them. They are all things. They’re like a person. If you have something that scares you and all of a sudden it’s outside of your window, you want someone sitting next to you telling you it’s going to be ok," Brotzge said.

Thunder Over Louisville is set to take place on April 17, 2021.