4th Of July Pet Safety: Keep Your Dogs, Cats Safe During The Booming Fireworks

Microchipping and other essential safety tips: Here are some ideas for keeping your pet safe and sane amid the loud firecrackers.

By Ashley Ludwig, Patch Staff

Jul 1, 2026 4:46 pm PDT

Asking your neighbors is a good place to start, as is keeping a handy link open to report fireworks activity. (Ashley Ludwig/Patch)

TEMECULA, CA — More dogs go missing over the 4th of July than any other holiday, animal shelter experts say.

If you haven't already microchipped your pet, it's time to do so.

It's all fun and games during the 4th of July backyard barbecues, but once the sun sets, fireworks can terrify your pets, veterinarians and animal boarding experts say. Dogs often fear fireworks and the loud booms and crackles of firecrackers on Independence Day, and they flee their homes. Typically, they end up in municipal animal shelters, and if not microchipped, they may never find their way home again.

Microchipping helps pet owners find their lost fur babies.

Costs for microchipping typically ranges from $10 to $20, but the chip itself is invaluable for returning pets from the Animal Friends of the Valley shelter in Wildomar that provides animal services to the cities of Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake, Wildomar, Menifee, Murrieta, and Temecula.

Before the July 4th holiday, Animal Friends of the Valley offers $10 microchipping until the last day of June. The chipping process takes 5 minutes and is available by appointment. The microchipping service is otherwise $20, according to the AFV clinic located at 33751 Mission Trail in Wildomar.

"We want to get your pet back to you safely," a spokesperson for the facility wrote on their website. "Microchipping helps us do that.

Riverside County Animal Services, which oversees a large portion of the county, also supports the microchipping program. Veterinarians also provide quick, painless, and invaluable service. Learn more at www.RCDAS.org.

"Before the 4th of July, be sure and microchip your pet and provide them a collar ID tag," said a RivCo Animal Services spokesperson. Another layer of protection is the county's new partnership with Petco Love Lost: a facial recognition program for pet searches.

Simply upload your pet's photo and register them before they go lost. Also, if you find a missing pet, try uploading a photo of the found animal. It may help you reunite them with their owners even faster.

The Petco Love Lost program helps get pets back home where they need to be, and the list of dogs and cats registered in Riverside County is growing daily. See the most recent list of found pets here.

Some other tips on pet safety:

Bring all pets indoors whenever neighborhood fireworks displays are likely. Secure dogs in a room, play music or turn on the television to drown out the frightening sounds.
Keep pets away from lit fireworks at all times, including in your backyard, as some will chase after the bright moving objects and risk being burned or blinded in the process.
Keep your back gates locked, and be aware some dogs can jump fences.
Ensure that pets are wearing current identification tags.
All pets should be microchipped to be scanned at an animal shelter or veterinary office for ultimate identification protection.
Check with local animal shelters immediately if your pet goes missing over the holiday. Go to the shelter in person to identify your pet, rather than calling or emailing the shelter, as staff may not be able to respond promptly enough to ensure your pet's safety.

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