If pets can be frightened by thunderstorms and other loud noises, the sustained pandemonium of a fireworks show can not only terrify a dog or cat but alarm it into doing something it wouldn’t normally do.

So says Sharon Narey, a mental health consultant whose travels carry her to several Northwest Georgia counties (including Murray and Whitfield) by day, and who ministers to dogs and cats in need during her off hours.

“It’s an awareness thing,” she said of protecting household pets during Fourth of July festivities. “While we’re enjoying celebrating our freedom, it can be miserable and dangerous for domestic animals.”

Narey said pets can actually have a panic reaction when the booming and whistling begin, running out of fear to try and get under a fence they do not normally try to breach, or just running away — sometimes for miles — to escape the noise.

She said there are some simple precautions pet owners can take during Independence Day celebrations.

“Number one is to put your pet up inside the home or in the garage,” she said. “Make sure it’s a nice, safe, cool space with a fan if needed. Number two, make sure they have a collar with an ID tag. Even if it’s a simple tag that can have a name and address label attached to it, that will last for awhile.”

Narey shared a story of a recent drive through Ringgold. A terrier was running full speed down busy U.S. 41 dodging in and out of traffic. Her efforts to stop and catch the dog were unsuccessful. Finally it ran into a lumber yard warehouse, and one of the female attendants helped her capture it.

“A thunderstorm scared the dog and it just took off,” she said. “But he had a rabies tag on with the vet’s name, so we called the vet, the vet called the pet owner, and we were able to get their dog back. If the dog had not had that identification, we wouldn’t have known which way to go.”

Interestingly, she said the 8-year-old terrier’s name was “Freedom.”

“That dog survived the traffic because someone was willing to help it,” she related, “and he had on a tag so we could return him to his owners.”

Narey said a veterinarian can prescribe a calming medicine for dogs or cats, or over-the-counter sedatives can be bought at pet stores.