WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) -- The day after the Fourth of July is one of the biggest days of the year for runaway pets, many of whom are scared by the fireworks.

Collen Akler saw that first hand. She was reunited with her dog, Tycho, Sunday afternoon after he had run away Saturday night while Akler was out of town. Akler got Tycho within the last month, and had not yet had him chipped.

She turned to social media for help finding him.

“I posted on the Wichita lost and found page for animals. A woman saw the pictures I posted and she messaged me and we were able to get in contact with that person," Akler said.

Stories similar to this happen all the time around Fourth of July according to Wichita Animal Action League executive director Christy Fischer.

Fireworks often lead to a surge in missing pets, according to Fischer. “There's a huge uptick. I mean, it's probably just off the top of my head gone up at least 200% and the last 72 hours.”

Fischer says the best way to avoid this is to chip your pets and make sure that info is up to date. If they do go missing, she says tools like social media and the Wichita Animal Shelter are great places to start, as well as checking in with neighbors. She says often times pets will not stray too far from home

If you find a pet and you cannot identify the owner, Fischer says to reach out to the Animal Service center or any local vet. They will be able to scan their for a information chip.