Overview

• Animal shelters nationwide report a 30% to 60% increase in lost dogs from July 4 to 6, with July 5 as the peak day for intakes
• Dogs’ acute hearing makes fireworks sounds of up to 175 decibels especially alarming, prompting panic-driven escapes and separations
• Pet owners are urged to update collar tags, register microchips, deploy GPS trackers and use AI-powered databases like Love Lost to reunite quickly with missing animals
• Experts recommend creating indoor safe havens with background noise, kennels or crates and seeking veterinary advice on anxiety wraps or prescribed sedatives
• Insurer data reveal over 300 Fourth of July–related pet injuries since 2020, including heat stroke, toxic ingestions, blunt trauma, near-drowning, cuts and burns