It's almost time for the festivals, parades and fireworksdisplays that communities across the United States put on tocelebrate Independence Day. Although most people greet thefestivities gladly, the story isn't the same for pets. Some arefrightened by the loud bang of pyrotechnics, and others areunsettled by large groups of people gathered at backyardbarbecues.

Pets may accidently eat holiday foods that aren't healthy forthem. More likely, well-meaning guests will try to give your petstreats that they shouldn't have.

Pet may also pick up dangerous debris left behind from personalfireworks or holiday decorations. One dog I know accidently ate adiscarded marijuana joint that was on the ground in a public park –not an unusual occurrence according to the vet.

Whether you're planning your own Independence Day celebration orplanning to take pets with you to visit friends, you need to takeprecautions to keep your pets safe. The AmericanVeterinary Medical Association offers the following specificrecommendations for pet owners in the days leading up to July 4, aswell as during the celebration.

Editor's Note:The PC360editorial staff includes dog owners who graciously shared photos oftheir pets. We'd love to see photos of your pets too, along withtips on how you keep them safe during Independence Day parties andfireworks. Please tweet your photos and comments to @PC360_Markets or add themto the comment section following this slideshow.

Bailey (Contributed photo: S. Moynihan)

Advance preparations

• Make sure your pets – cats and dogs alike – haveidentification tags with up-to-date information.If you have horses, you might consider marking a safety (breakaway)halter with your contact information and leaving it on your horseduring this stressful time.
• If your pets aren't already microchipped, talk with your veterinarian about microchipping.This simple procedure can greatly improve your chances of gettingyour pets back if they become lost.
• If your pets are microchipped, make sure your contactinformation in the microchip registry is up-to-date.

Taran and Bella (Contributed photo: R. Donlon)

• Take a current photo of all of your cats, dogsand horses – just in case.
• If your pet has historically been anxious on this holiday, orif you have reason to expect potentially harmful reactions,consider behavioral therapy to desensitize yourpet and reduce the risk of problems. Some pets may need medication.Consult your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist.
• Make sure the environment is safe and secure. If your neighborsset off fireworks at an unexpected time, is youryard secure enough to keep your pet contained? Arepasture fences secure enough to keep horses orother livestock confined? Evaluate your options, choose the safestarea for your animals, and make improvements if needed to make thearea more secure.

Jasper (Contributed photo: J. Heft)

During July 4th celebrations

• Leave your pets at home when you go toparties, fireworks displays, parades and other gatherings. Loudfireworks, unfamiliar places and crowds can all be very frighteningto pets, and there's great risk of pets becoming spooked andrunning away.
• Consider putting your pets in a safe, escape-proof roomor crate during parties and fireworks.
• Keep horses and livestock in safely fencedareas and as far from the excitement and noise aspossible.
• If you're hosting guests, ask them to helpkeep an eye on your pets to make sure they don't escape. Placingnotes on exit doors and gates can help both you and your guestsremain vigilant.
• Keep your pets inside if you or your neighborsare setting off fireworks.
• Keep sparklers, glow sticks, fireworks,charcoal and kabob skewers away fromcurious pets.

Ollivander (Contributed photo: C. Pontoriero)

• Don't let pets get near your barbecue grillwhile it is in use or still hot.
• Avoid the urge to feed your pets table scrapsor other foods intended for people. Be especially careful to keepthem away from these commonfoods that are actually toxic.
• Remember that too much sun and heat (andhumidity!) can be dangerous to pets. Keep them inside when it'sextremely hot or humid; make sure they have access to shady spotsand plenty of water when outdoors; don't leave them outside forextended periods in hot weather; and know the signs that a pet may be overheating.
• Never leave your pet in your car when it's warm outside.Vehicle interiors heat up much faster than the air around them, andeven a short time in a locked car can be dangerous to pets.
• If you're travelling out of town for theholiday, consider leaving your pets at home with a pet sitter orboarding them in a kennel. If you need to bring them with you, besure you can keep them safe.

Nahlah (Contributed photo: M. Hillebrand)

Food safety for pets

The ASPCA AnimalPoison Control Center offers the following tips on keeping petssafe when food and drink might be within reach:

• Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where pets canreach them. Alcoholic beverages have the potential topoison pets. If ingested, the animal could become very intoxicatedand weak or severely depressed or could go into a coma. Death fromrespiratory failure is also a possibility in severe cases.
• Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent productto your pet that is not labeled specifically for use onanimals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result indrooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. Themisuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead toneurological problems.
• Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of your pets'reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, whichcould potentially damage blood cells and result in difficultybreathing — or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluidcan be irritating to skin, and if ingested can producegastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression.If lighter fluid is inhaled, aspiration pneumonia and breathingproblems could develop.
• Keep your pets on their normal diet. Anychange, even for one meal, can give your pet severe indigestion anddiarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals who have moredelicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. And keepin mind that foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado,grapes, raisins, salt and yeast dough can all be potentially toxicto companion animals.

Parker (Contributed photo: P. Harman)

• Don't put glow jewelry on your pets, or allow them toplay with it. Although the luminescent substance containedin these products is not highly toxic, excessive drooling andgastrointestinal irritation could still result from ingestions, andintestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large pieces of theplastic containers.
• Keep citronella candles, insect coils and tiki torchoil products out of reach. Ingestion can produce stomachirritation and possibly even central nervous system depression. Ifinhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia in pets.
• Never use fireworks around pets. Whileexposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns ortrauma to the face and paws of curious pets, even unused fireworkscan pose a danger. Many types contain potentially toxic substances,including potassium nitrate, arsenic and other heavy metals.

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