American sports journalist Amanda Balionis shared a post on Instagram celebrating Independence Day. She also reminded her fans to ensure the safety of their pets during the celebrations by keeping them away from loud noises and fireworks.
Balionis has worked with CBS Sports since 2017, covering golf, college football, and NFL games. However, she also has other passions besides sports journalism and is an avid lover of dogs. The CBS Sports reporter is the founder of Puppies & Golf, a nonprofit organization that provides support for dogs countrywide.
As the fourth of July festivities ensued, Puppies & Golf shared a long list of tips pet owners can use to keep their dogs safe. Balionis then shared the post on her Instagram story. She reminded her followers to take extra care because the 4th of July usually sees the highest rate of pet runaways due to the loud celebrations.
“A reminder on how to keep your animals safe this weekend! 4th of July weekend sees the highest rate of pets running away because of fear of fireworks and other loud sounds. Dogs and cats don’t need to enjoy the fireworks, the need to be safe indoors ❤️🤍💙.”

Puppies & Golf encouraged pet owners to exercise caution when consuming seasoned meat, alcohol, and other food substances that may be toxic to dogs. The organization also listed decorations as some of the items that can be dangerous to pets of swallowed or chewed.
Earlier on, Amanda Balionis gave her followers a peek into how she was celebrating Independence Day. She shared a picture of herself on a boat enjoying a tranquil view of the ocean. Her post was captioned,
“Happy 4th 🇺🇲 🎇”
Balionis’s fourth of July celebration outfit comprised denim shorts paired with a striped American-themed vest and a white shirt. Take a look:
The blue hat Amanda Balionis wore is from Puppies & Golf. It was part of a special set of blue, white, and red patch hats released ahead of the Fourth of July celebrations.
Amanda Balionis calls Aldrich Potgieter’s maiden PGA Tour victory a “life-changer”
Last week, Aldrich Potgieter won his maiden PGA Tour title at the 2025 Rocket Classic, and Amanda Balionis covered the event for CBS Sports. Following Potgieter’s victory, Balionis shared a lengthy post on Instagram congratulating the 20-year-old on his performance. She wrote,
“It took 77 holes but @aldrichpotgieter is now the youngest player from South Africa to win on the PGA TOUR. The 20-year-old rookie, told us Saturday that his close calls this season prepared him for the right mindset today and that proved to be true. This win is a life changer for the whole family.”
Amanda Balionis shared that Potgieter’s family has been operating on two sides of the world in a bid to support his golf career. However, now, the whole family can enjoy more time together as a result of his victory.