A black and white Border Collie wears a tiny American Flag hat over it's eye while laying down on green grass, scared from the fireworks, at risk for going missing on July 5. — (Photo Credit: Hillary Kladke | Getty Images)

The Day After July 4th Is the Busiest Day of the Year for US Animal Shelters

July 3, 2024

On July 5, while many people relax after Independence Day, others spend their time desperately searching for their lost pets. These could be dogs who, frightened by the fireworks displays on July 4th, escaped the yard. It might even be indoor-outdoor cats who usually come inside when called but are nowhere…

Jenna was the Managing Editor of DogTime.com and CatTime.com from June 2023 through December 2024. She is the proud helicopter dog mom of her rescue pups Washington and Goldie Hawn. She grew up in rural North Carolina on a family farm, which is where her love of animals became apparent as she quite literally endeavored to save every abandoned fur baby within the farm's proximity. Jenna has worked as a book editor, ghostwriter, and speech writer for various political personalities across the country. She is passionate about animal rights, sustainable agriculture, equality, and climate change—even appearing on PBS NewsHour, as well as in NBC News, The Nation, The Advocate, Yahoo News, and Newsweek.