Pet precautions for Fourth of July

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Fireworks are a good time for families to enjoy, but can be the scariest time for the family pets.

The booming sounds have been known to frighten animals to the point where they run away from home.

Animal Humane New Mexico says  in 2010, they saw a seventy percent increase in the number of stray pets turned in on the Fourth of July Holiday.

"Keep your pet indoors as much as you can during this week," says Dawn Glass from Animal Humane New Mexico.  "Try and provide ambient noise like ac or TV, provide them with distractions and just mostly try to keep them safe."

If for some reason, your animal should run away it's a good idea to make sure they have been prepared for that beforehand.

"The first thing you should do is call Animal Humane and the City of Albuquerque," says Glass. "Visit our website, we've got a lost and found database and you can file a lost report and find out all the steps you should take to be reunited with your pet."

Animal Humane's website can be found at animalhumanenm.org/pets/resources/lost_and_found/index.php