Happy Scare-The-Crap-Outta-Your-Fur-Babies-Day! ...I mean Independence Day. On this day where we Americans celebrate our freedom from Britain we should keep pets in mind, especially those of us within city limits. Before you say, "But Deanne, I'm free to to fire off fireworks if I want! It's the Fourth of July, and this is Merica! Pets be damned!" hear me out. One, depending on what city you live in it could very well be illegal. Two, pets do not feel joy about the birth of our nation through exploding noises, burning odors of pyrotechnics, or flashing lights with the blast of each firework. You'd be better off to "accidentally" drop a burger from the grill for that woofer or meowzer to truly be excited. Three, you're sorta kinda mostly being a dick by ignoring the fact that others are all around you. I know it sounds crazy, but some people actually enjoy explosion-free sleep, as do their babies and pets.

I'm not trying to kill your festive Fourth of July vibes, but being considerate doesn't mean that you can't have fun. It is more than easy to find free firework displays and Fourth of July festivals all around you. Your neighborhood isn't a free for all, though. In fact, July 5th is the busiest day of the year for animal shelters because of the pets that panicked at the sound of fireworks and fled into the darkness of night resulting in being lost, injured, and even killed. All of that is easily preventable by all of us respecting one another and keeping our pyro-fun at a minimum while at home.

Unfortunately, not everyone is capable of respecting others so it's best to prepare for that ahead of time if you're trying to protect your pets. While it may seem like common sense, keep your pets inside--especially at night when fireworks will be most prevalent. Even if your pet is used to being outside frequently, now is not the time to leave them out. Dogs in particular could easily jump a fence, dig themselves out, and break restraints in a high-adrenaline rushed attempt to seek safety from the terror of fireworks. Make sure that you have your pets properly identified. The most basic choice is to go with a collar and tags with your contact information attached; microchips are another option, but it will cost you without pet insurance. It's also not a bad idea to have a recent photo of your pet handy in case they do get out and you need to put up fliers or send out a search party through social media. If you plan on going to see a fireworks display then leave your pet inside at home. Bringing them out to the show will terrify them, which could easily result in an escaped animal prone to injuring others or itself out of fear. You might think bringing your pet is okay as long as you put them in the car during the show, but this is not an option because this could easily lead to brain damage and/or a heat stroke.

In summary, have a fun-filled fourth and don't be a dick. Have a cookout, go to the lake, wear that classic Old Navy flag tee (or don't because it's actually awful), have a beer or seven, and blow stuff up; just be careful with the latter because pets are people too!