Officials warn pet owners to keep animals safe on July 4th

LOS ANGELES — Hoping to avoid a repeat of the annual problem of runaway pets crowding shelters, animal-advocacy officials urged pet owners to keep their animals inside today and as far away as possible from fireworks.
Dogs and cats can escape from small openings in houses and fenced yards in search of a safe place and may be injured in traffic or wind up in a crowded local shelter, officials warned.
Animal-care experts advised owners to:
— make sure pets have up-to-date identificatio