While we revel in Independence Day celebrations, most pets don’t share our love for fireworks. Loud fireworks can be very frightening to pets, and there’s great risk of pets becoming spooked and running away. Sadly, more pets get lost on July 4 than any other day of the year.

To keep everyone safe this holiday, keep these tips in mind:

– Be sure your dog is wearing an up to date ID tag at all times and take a current photo of your dog just in case he/she gets lost.

– Exercise your dog early in the day before festivities begin.

– Keep charcoal, fireworks, sparklers, and glow sticks far away from curious canines.

– Consider putting your pets in a safe, escape-proof room or crate during gatherings and fireworks.

– If your dog is afraid of loud noises consider leaving on soft music or white noise to help drown out the sound of fireworks.

Be sure to check your yard for fireworks debris before allowing pets outside after the celebration. Even if you didn’t set off fireworks, debris can easily drift into your yard which Fido may think is a new toy to play with or eat.