As the 4th of July approaches and preparations are made to celebrate our nation’s independence, it is important to not forget your pets. Amidst all the chaos, it is very easy for pets to go missing. In fact, statistics show that 30% more pets get lost between July 4th and 6th than any other time of year. Keep your dogs and cats safe and sound with the following tips.

Fireworks might be fun for you, but they’re a nightmare for a pet’s sensitive ears. Keep your pets in the quietest room of the house. Close windows and turn on something that will overpower the noise, like TV or music. For more tips on how to keep pets from being frightened by fireworks, check out this article.

Another vital part to your pet’s safety during the 4th of July is having identification. Getting identification for pets greatly increases the chances that they will be found should they get lost. A pet license, personalized tag, microchip are all options for pet ID. It is recommended that your pet has at least two forms of ID.

Keep your pet inside as much as possible during the holiday and take measures to make sure that they stay calm. Remove anything that could be damaging to the pet if they freak out during celebrations. If you’re going out to celebrate, get someone to watch over the pets to keep them safe so that they are not unattended. Freaked out animals can get seriously injured if they attempt to dig under a fence in a yard.

If, in a worst-case scenario, your pet gets lost during the 4th of July week, contact your local shelter and check in person frequently to see if your pet has been found. Put up posters and raise awareness in your neighborhood about the missing pet. Sites like Petfinder and PetHarbor allow you to put up lost pet notices, which is very useful is spreading the word.

Don’t let your pet become one of the 30% more pets that get lost during the holiday, take the necessary precautions and follow those tips. Here’s to a happy and safe 4th of July!