Help Keep Pets Safe During 4th Of July Fireworks Celebrations

DENVER (CBS4)- Fireworks are a familiar sound during the days leading up to and winding down from the 4th of July. Those celebrations can often spook our four-legged friends.

When pets hear the thunderous sounds of fireworks, they can become scared and run away. Many of those pets can end up at shelters or are lost forever.

On Wednesday, Maia Brusseau from the Dumb Friends League appeared on CBS4 This Morning. She talked to CBS4's Britt Moreno about how to keep your pets safe and feeling secure during the week America celebrates its independence.

The Dumb Friends League receives about 16 stray animals a day. That number more than doubles after Independence Day.

"The day after the 4th we get more than double the number of stray animals at both our Quebec and Castle Rock shelters, totaling 34. When fireworks go off they hear them and they want to flee," said Brusseau.

DFL received 85 stray animals in the days after the 4th of July last year.

LIST: 4th Of July Fireworks Shows Near Denver

Brusseau says the DFL has some tips for making sure pets stay with their families during the fireworks shows:

• Don't take pets to fireworks shows
• Allow them into a room without windows or allow them to find a place to hide like a closet or bathtub
• Leave the TV or radio on so that white noise can muffle the sounds of fireworks
• If your pet is acting anxious or whining, try to distract by playing with your pet
• There's still time to call your vet and ask for a sedative
• Make sure pet's have updated ID tags and your correct number

Appearing on CBS4 This Morning with Brusseau was "Green" a 9-week-old Labrador Belgian Malinois mix who needs a family. He and his litter mates will be available for adoption at the Dumb Friends League this weekend.