Though holidays can be a great time for people, they can be problematic for our pets. Here are some things to be aware of as you celebrate the Fourth of July.

Fireworks can be very frightening for our pets. They may panic and try to escape the noise by attempting to leave the safety of their own house or yard. Here’s how you can protect your animal family members on the fourth of July:

• Make sure they wear properly sized collars (no more than two fingers should fit under the collar). All dogs and cats (even house cats) should have current ID on their collars, and they should have microchip IDs as well. Cats should wear safety collars that will pop or stretch if they get caught on something.
• Keep your pets inside the house. If there will be a lot of people going in and out, you might want to put your animals in a bedroom with the door shut. Close the windows, curtains and shades so they will feel more safe and secure. 
• You can muffle the sound of fireworks by turning on a fan, radio or television. 

If your pet is extremely distressed during fireworks, she may become destructive and may even hurt herself trying to escape the noise. To calm her, you may need to stay with her and try to distract her with play or favorite things to chew. Do not verbally reassure a nervous pet, however, since that may reinforce her nervousness. 

Do not put a frightened dog in a crate and leave the house. Though his crate may normally be a safe place for him, he may feel trapped in there if he’s frightened by fireworks. He could injure himself badly trying to get out of the crate.

Click here for more pet tips for the 4th of July.