Annie was the dog that escaped her cage at the shelter and jumped, unbidden, into my lap. Naturally, I adopted her along with the two puppies I had originally planned to adopt for my sister’s and my own Christmas gifts that year. Clever dog that she was, she played that same, “save me” game at my parents’ house by jumping into my father’s lap immediately upon our arrival, thereby securing for herself a lifetime of ultimate comfort, good cooking and love.

Annie liked nothing better than a road trip; and to make sure she wasn’t left behind, she was known to wait in the car for hours while my parents packed for their annual trip to “the lake.” And since my parents used to spend all summer at the lake, Annie was always there to celebrate the Fourth of July.

Our lake neighbors had a tradition of shooting fireworks off the end of their dock, and we all gathered on the beach to watch and listen. None of us enjoyed the fireworks more than Annie. As they burst over the lake, she’d run to the end of the dock, dancing and barking, clearly celebrating with the noise and lights. When each burst had ended, she would run back to our neighbor, whining and crying, obviously encouraging him to go faster as he set up the next round.

Unfortunately, all dogs are not like Annie when it comes to fireworks and other loud noises. Some dogs, like my Dexter, notice the sounds but don’t seem to be bothered by them; but many dogs are traumatized by the strange noises and, I suspect, smells.

Once, when home alone, our dog, Honey, tore up a door frame trying to get in the house during a thunderstorm. She eventually got the grid off the entrance to the crawl space, where we found her upon our return. Since dogs often try to run away from a situation that frightens them, it isn’t unusual to see an increase in lost dog reports after a storm or fireworks.

There are a few things you can do to help your dog get through these difficult times. You can try a Thunder Shirt, which might give your dog a feeling of security, much like swaddling does for a baby. Or talk to your veterinarian about medications available to “take the edge off” your dog’s stress. You can also try distracting your dog with a favorite toy or with a special, long-lasting treat until the storm has passed or the fireworks have ended.

And just in case your dog gets loose, make sure he has an identification tag on his collar, or even better, an implanted chip that will allow someone finding him to safely return him to you.

They celebrate with us when we’re happy, comfort us when we’re sad, entertain us, defend us and love us. Let’s return the favor and do everything we can to keep them safe, happy and healthy.

 — Pets and the People Who Love Them is brought to you on behalf of your friends at the Athens- Limestone Animal Shelter. To adopt a dog or cat, visit www.limestone pets.org to view pets and fill out an application, or call us at 256-771-7889 to set up an appointment to visit the shelter at 1701 U.S. 72, behind Limestone Veterinary Clinic.