Hi, everyone, and welcome to my TedTalk.

The US is known for a lot of things and nothing is more American than the 4th of July and fireworks. Believe it or not, July happens EVERY YEAR and yet, it's estimated that the amount of lost pets increases by 30% in those 3 days. Only 14% of them are ever reunited with their owners. And a staggering 30-60% of all lost pets are euthanized by overcrowded shelters due to being unable to find their owners.

As someone who volunteered to run the overnight (midnight to 6 am) 24/7 4th of July triage last year, I saw a great deal of terrible things and a great deal of rage inducing things. Most enraging? Dogs without microchips, updated tags, or collars.

There are a multitude of anxiety combating things on the market for your furry friends and it up to YOU to buy those things RIGHT NOW for the fireworks that are going to happen whether it's legal or not! If Mr. Snuggles needs hard-core sedatives, then NOW is the time to call your vet. They'll be too busy taking every other person who forgot that July happens every year closer to the 3 days of pet Armageddon, so get the appointment for those medications NOW. And update that microchip and tag while you're at it.

If you refuse to stay home with your trembling furry friend, then do them a favor and find a sitter, boarding facility, or friend/family member to take them in. Rover and Wag are great resources and yes, holiday rates are higher, but they're much lower than it costs to get your dog out of doggy jail (if they get lucky enough that AC picks them up!).

So, fix that fence, buy a more sturdy latch for the gate, don't leave the windows open, plan your festivities around your animal's needs, be responsible enough to keep their tags up to date, get them microchipped, invest in a happy hoody/anxiety jacket/CBD chews/calming diffusers, and answer your phone if someone calls you during those days because you're responsible for those furry babies and they don't deserve to spend the end of their life bleeding out on a dark road or cowering in a dirty, overpopulated shelter.

Why YSK: Because millions of animals go missing and die every year simply due to their owners choosing to be selfish and irresponsible. Oh, and go ahead and donate to your local rescues as well. They do a lot of work for a lot of animals that were once pets, too.