SEATTLE, Wash. – Fourth of July fireworks routinely make July 5th one of the busiest days of the year for animal shelters across the country.

That’s why Seattle-based Pet Hub is declaring all of July “National Lost Pet Prevention Month.”

Dogs and cats frightened by fireworks often escape yards in the course of the evening. Some even manage to slip out through doors or open windows.

“Make sure your pet has an external I.D. tag,” says Pet Hub’s Lorien Clemens. “It’s the number one way lost pets get home quickly.”

Pet Hub’s mission is to help reunite lost pets with rightful owners. Pet Hub’s digital I.D. tag can store an owner’s name, address, and phone number. It can even include information on the pet’s medications and personality. The tag can be read by a smartphone, putting important information right at the finger tips of those who find a missing pet.

But even a traditional tag with a simple name and current phone number is better than nothing, Clemens says, adding that microchips are also good, as long as contact information is kept current.

Owners can also help pets adjust by planning ahead for the day. Create a safe space in your home, perhaps in an interior room or on a lower floor, that allows your pet to feel sheltered from the loud noises. For crate-trained pets, their kennel may be their safe spot. For others, it may be a closet or on the couch next to their owner.

For families planning to go out for the night, consider asking a friend or relative to pet-sit.

Exercise early in the day can also help by burning off some energy and helping your pet relax.

“Take them to the lake or the park,” Clemens says. “Throw things around. Get them exhausted and they won’t even care it’s the fourth.”