Fourth of July is coming up quick. It’s a day of patriotism, a day of celebration with food, friends, family and, of course, fireworks.

Most people love fireworks — with the exception of some small children concerned by the loud bangs and explosions of light. Some adults are fans either.

But, dogs? Dogs really don’t like fireworks. In fact, a fireworks show can terrorize many a pet. One fireworks company, Phantom Fireworks, has sent out a notice to pet owners in advance of the coming holiday offering suggestions as to how to protect your pets from the noise and flash of fireworks display. They happen to be pet owners too.

Do not take an animal to a fireworks show. There are many stories out there of dogs being so disturbed by the noise, they break free from their owners and run, get lost, hit by a car, etc.

Keep your pet indoors during fireworks displays and turn on the TV or radio to distract them from the booms. Close the draperies to block out the flashes of light, and close all windows and doors to prevent escape.

Exercising a pet before fireworks can help tire them out, and might help diminish their reactions to the fireworks.

If a pet is one of those that reacts negatively, to the point of being traumatized by fireworks, consider he or she might need to be sedated or removed from the premises if the show is close enough to the house. Talk to a veterinarian or a kennel about those options.

This Fourth of July, protect yourself from fireworks by using them responsibly, but protect your pets, as well. We think fireworks are pretty; pets just think they’re really scary. Just as feeding, neutering/spaying, and vetting is part of responsible pet ownership, so is shielding them from the flash, bangs, booms, pops and hisses that they don’t understand.