BEND, OR -- The Fourth of July, with all its blasts and booms, can be a traumatic time for pets. "Our pets may enjoy holidays and having you home, but they certainly do not like the bright lights, the sounds, all of those scary things that humans find really, really festive," says Lynne Ouchida, with the Humane Society of Central Oregon, "We know that we need to keep kennel space open because like clockwork, we expect to get scared dogs in. And, typically, it's the next day; so July fifth and sixth are typically our busiest days."

Aside from the noise, Ouchida says fireworks can be dangerous for pets, "Animals just truly don't understand what they are. And some really curious, playful animals might get hurt or injured with that curiosity." 

She suggests keeping pets indoors, in a room where they already feel safe, with some 'white noise' and make sure your pet has up-to-date identification - either microchips or tags with a current phone number for you.  Temporary tags and crates are available for rent at the Humane Society in Bend. Even if your pet hasn't shown signs of sound phobias in the past, Ouchida says you need to be prepared, "Don't assume that because they haven't had any bad reactions in the past that they're going to be fine and you can leave them outside."

If your pet does run away, call your local animal shelter; you can also check craigslist or Facebook to see if anyone's found them.