Fireworks and Fido probably aren’t good friends, which could make this Fourth of July weekend a fearful time for pets while their humans celebrate.

Due to the loud noises caused by fireworks and other festivities, many owners end their Fourth of July celebrations looking for a lost dog or cat that bolted while colors dotted the night sky.

“They’re just not exactly sure what’s going on with these big bombs in the air, and they don’t know where to go so they run,” said Dr. Tony Loper, a veterinarian at Woodland Animal Clinic. “They do what they can to get away, and every year we invariably have someone looking for their dog after the Fourth.”

The Fourth of July is a holiday that causes an increase of visitors to the Vicksburg-Warren Humane Society on U.S. 61 South, according to executive director Georgia Lynn.

“Every single day we get lost dog calls, but there is a slight increase every Fourth,” she said. “I expect we’ll get half a dozen calls after this weekend.”

Both Loper and Lynn suggested keeping pets indoors during the time fireworks are likely to be launched as the best way to keep pets safe over the weekend.

Lynn added how important putting identification on pets is when trying to locate a lost animal.

“If you ID your dog, you give it a voice,” she said. “The kindest thing you can do is put your dog’s name on (its identification) and put all your contact numbers on it.”

She added that dog tags don’t necessarily have to be expensive and can be part of the dog’s collar so nothing hangs down, a problem she said many pet owners worry about.

Lindsay Pollard-Post of the PETA Foundation said, “Terrified animals, desperate to escape the deafening explosions, have jumped fences, crashed through picture windows, torn through screens, broken chains, and bolted out doors, often injuring themselves. Keep animals indoors in a quiet, safe room, and stay with them during the fireworks.”

Other suggestions from HomeAgain, a pet identification and recovery company, include:

• Take a current photo of your dog, just in case.

• Keep charcoal, fireworks and sparklers out of pets’ reach.

• Use gentle music to cover the sound of fireworks.

• Ask any guests to play with pets away from any flames during a cookout.

• Leave pets with a treat during fireworks.