Word has spread among California dog owners that Cambria is an ideal getaway for the Fourth of July. That’s because this small town on the Central California coast, in an attempt to prevent wildfires, has banned fireworks.
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Cambria does not widely advertise itself as a refuge for pet owners on July 4, and the abolishment of fireworks here has actually been a source of frustration among some locals.
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In the breezy evening before the holiday, restaurants were populated by dogs on leashes and in backpacks. Collars jingled in the hotel lobbies. Dogs lazed on balconies and gazed longingly at their owners down on Moonstone Beach, where they are not allowed. (A line in the sand, if you will.)
Melissa Larson, the general manager of the Cambria Pines Lodge, which is so dog-friendly it has added a dog park to its roster of amenities, said that starting in June, the hotel gets daily calls from pet owners asking about fireworks. Karen Cartwright, director of hospitality at the nearby Cambria Shores Inn, said that pet owners even call asking if fireworks can be heard in Cambria from Cayucos, about 15 miles away (they cannot).
Such a huge opportunity for a business offering a dog hotel/human hotel package deal, perhaps one where you can recline on a balcony sipping a cocktail while your pet enjoys a park below.
Such a huge opportunity for a business offering a dog hotel/human hotel package deal, perhaps one where you can recline on a balcony sipping a cocktail while your pet enjoys a park below.
I feel like if the city really wanted to capitalize they’d do this, and put on a light up drone show instead of fireworks so people can still be festive.
I feel like if the city really wanted to capitalize they’d do this, and put on a light up drone show instead of fireworks so people can still be festive.
Due to the paywall, I wasn't able to read the article to see why Cambria is special for this, but I think that almost half of the cities in California ban fireworks. And people set off a lot of...
Due to the paywall, I wasn't able to read the article to see why Cambria is special for this, but I think that almost half of the cities in California ban fireworks.
And people set off a lot of fireworks in areas where they have been banned.
(5 minute research shows there's about 500 municipalities and fireworks are legal in under 300).
Apparently the dog owners check on this and a small, isolated community is a good spot in practice?
Apparently the dog owners check on this and a small, isolated community is a good spot in practice?
Karen Cartwright, director of hospitality at the nearby Cambria Shores Inn, said that pet owners even call asking if fireworks can be heard in Cambria from Cayucos, about 15 miles away (they cannot).
I saw a video where someone put a bunch of tennis balls in their otherwise empty dryer and turned it on so they'd be thumping around. Seemed like a pretty good idea, pending the location /...
I saw a video where someone put a bunch of tennis balls in their otherwise empty dryer and turned it on so they'd be thumping around. Seemed like a pretty good idea, pending the location / availability of your dryer.
Probably for similar reasons that some people use white noise machines when sleeping. It's really easy to notice, and relatively jarring to hear, noises in an otherwise quiet environment. The...
Probably for similar reasons that some people use white noise machines when sleeping. It's really easy to notice, and relatively jarring to hear, noises in an otherwise quiet environment. The white noise evens things out a bit so that loud noises don't stand out as much, and quieter noises are drowned out completely. Fireworks are exceptionally loud and sporadic, so regular white noise would have to be really loud. A bunch of tennis balls providing a consistent "thump boom thump" in a dryer maybe could smooth over the booms of fireworks better.
Either that, or maybe part of some lower volume similar-sounding conditioning before the actual big day. (I don't know if this would work)
You've explained it the way I understood it. Provide a noise they can get used to that masks the sudden sporadic noises. I think how well it would work would still depend on the temperament of the...
You've explained it the way I understood it. Provide a noise they can get used to that masks the sudden sporadic noises.
I think how well it would work would still depend on the temperament of the dog.
From the article:
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[...]
Such a huge opportunity for a business offering a dog hotel/human hotel package deal, perhaps one where you can recline on a balcony sipping a cocktail while your pet enjoys a park below.
I feel like if the city really wanted to capitalize they’d do this, and put on a light up drone show instead of fireworks so people can still be festive.
Due to the paywall, I wasn't able to read the article to see why Cambria is special for this, but I think that almost half of the cities in California ban fireworks.
And people set off a lot of fireworks in areas where they have been banned.
(5 minute research shows there's about 500 municipalities and fireworks are legal in under 300).
This is an archive.ph link.
This California Town Banned Fireworks. Then Came the Dogs.
And a gift from July 6, 2026
Apparently the dog owners check on this and a small, isolated community is a good spot in practice?
I saw a video where someone put a bunch of tennis balls in their otherwise empty dryer and turned it on so they'd be thumping around. Seemed like a pretty good idea, pending the location / availability of your dryer.
Why did they do that?
Probably for similar reasons that some people use white noise machines when sleeping. It's really easy to notice, and relatively jarring to hear, noises in an otherwise quiet environment. The white noise evens things out a bit so that loud noises don't stand out as much, and quieter noises are drowned out completely. Fireworks are exceptionally loud and sporadic, so regular white noise would have to be really loud. A bunch of tennis balls providing a consistent "thump boom thump" in a dryer maybe could smooth over the booms of fireworks better.
Either that, or maybe part of some lower volume similar-sounding conditioning before the actual big day. (I don't know if this would work)
You've explained it the way I understood it. Provide a noise they can get used to that masks the sudden sporadic noises.
I think how well it would work would still depend on the temperament of the dog.