With July 4th just days away, Sioux Falls Animal Control Supervisor Julie DeJong says it's especially important to keep pets away from the fireworks.

"Even though it's an exciting time for us, July 4th can really be scary and dangerous to your pets, especially to new pet owners. They don't know what their pets will do or how they might react to fireworks this year."

DeJong says July 5th is the busiest day of the year for animal shelters.

"That's what we see in Sioux Falls. There are a lot of dogs that get scared by fireworks and they run away. We end up being very busy the day after July 4th. We do want to remind people that are taking their pets to a fireworks show---make sure you have them on a leash. Keep them away from other people. It could be your pet is uncomfortable around large crowds. All of these things combined could lead them to run away or they could bite somebody while frustrated."

DeJong says it's best to keep the pets safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered area and escape-proof area at home.


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