Child Safety & Digital Heat Display – July 2^nd – 4^th from 10:00a.m. – 6:00p.m. at the Corner of S. Howe & Moore Streets.  These are facts from Safe Kids of NC.  Every year, 35 to 40 children across the country die from heat exposure in vehicles. Sadly, these deaths can be prevented.  The temperature inside a vehicle can rise to almost 200 degrees in just 10 minutes. In fact, it gets so hot that s’mores can be cooked in the backseat. A child’s body heats up 3 to 5 times faster than adults.  Even a few minutes of heat exposure can be dangerous for a child. July is historically the deadliest month for child fatalities in hot cars.  NEVER leave a child unattended in a car, for any length of time or at any time of the year.  Event of City of Southport Police Department, Buckle Up NC and NC Department of Insurance & Safe Kids. 

PET POLICY: For the safety and comfort of our visitors and pets, leave your pets at home.  The N.C. 4th of July Festival Pet Policy discourages pets on the Festival grounds, excluding service dogs and law enforcement dogs .

This policy is in place out of respect and safety for the animals.   Pets become a liability and logistical challenge when they are brought to the Festival.  The Festival hosts more than 50,000 visitors. The size of these crowds and noise associated with festival events can prove a threat to the safety of your pets.

Most importantly the heat is a real concern for the health of pets. Pavement, metal and tar-coated asphalt get extremely hot and can burn their feet.  Make prior arrangements to ensure proper care is given to your pets while attending the Festival. Do not leave pets unattended in parked cars, regardless as to whether a window may be open.  

CITY OF SOUTHPORT PET REGULATIONS ABBREVIATED:

• Register your dog or cat annually.
• Maintain current rabies vaccinations.
• Dogs & Cats must wear a collar with vaccination tag and city license attached.
• Dogs must be under restraint at all times.  Either by keeping the dog exclusively on the owner's premises or off premises under control by chain or leash or within a vehicle being driven or parked on the street.
• Must promptly remove and dispose of all feces left by dog or cat on public property and any private property not owned by the pet owner.
• It is unlawful for any person to willfully or maliciously inflict unnecessary or needless cruelty, torture, abuse or cruelly beat, strike or abuse any animal or by any act, omission or neglect cause or inflict any unnecessary or unjustifiable pain, suffering, injury or death to any animal.
• It is unlawful for any person in charge of any animal to fail, refuse, or neglect to provide such animal with food, portable water, shade or shelter, or to carry any such animal in or upon any vehicle in a cruel or inhumane manner.