Happy Independence Day!

To all of our friends in the United States,

HAPPY  INDEPENDENCE  DAY!

It's fortuitous that the 4th of July falls on a Thursday, as this is indeed the day of Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop. 

We are so grateful for our freedom, for our country, and for all those who have served and sacrificed for our freedom and country.

Happy 4th of July to all of our US friends! And a very happy Thursday to all of those outside of the US!

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Tomorrow is Friday, which means tomorrow will be the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. We'll share the fill-in statements now. Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. I like my _________ with _________.

2. When I was _________, I had to have _________.

3. I spend the most time thinking about _________.

4. _________ is a risk worth taking.

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If you'd like to see our weekly poem as part of the Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge, we shared it yesterday. You can find it here.

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Did you know?

Did you know that July 5th is one of the busiest days of the year at animal shelters in the United States? Sadly, this is in large part because of the animals who were afraid of July 4th fireworks and escaped their homes and humans while in fear. Many such furbabies end up lost, and if they're lucky, they're found by someone and in some way reunited with their family. Sometimes this means they end up at a shelter in hopes of making their way back home.

The above being said, please try to refrain from setting off fireworks, as this can be a very terrifying experience for animals, including cats, dogs, and even wildlife. If you know there will be fireworks in your area on days like Independence Day, please ensure your furbaby's safety. Keep them indoors when fireworks are going off outside. In case of emergency, ensure that your furbaby has a collar with an identification tag, as well as an up-to-date microchip.