As beautiful as firework displays are, they often lead to some terrified and traumatised pets. Here’s how to help your pets feel calm during New Year’s Eve fireworks displays.
Leading up to and during the festive season and start of the New Year in South Africa we have a number of reasons to celebrate. Which is why so many of us tend to do so using fireworks displays. However, these celebrations pose serious risks to our animals’ safety and cause our pets to try and escape the loud noises. Dogs, in particular, try to run away and can injure themselves and get lost.
Some dogs are known to even jump through glass windows to try and escape the noises and dig their way under fences. This leads to a number of worried and anxious pet owners.
How to Care for Your Pets During New Year’s Eve Fireworks
What you can do for your dog
Prepare in advance for upcoming firework displays and ensure you have everything in place before the displays begin. Ensure your dog is microchipped before the fireworks begin and if you haven’t done so in a while, check to make sure your information is correctly linked to his chip and that your information is updated with your current phone number and address. A name tag with your number on it is also a good idea as well as a microchip.
Related: 5 Benefits of Microchipping Your Pet
Chat with your vet about what treatment options are safe for your dog to calm his or her nerves a little bit – some vets might recommend some forms of rescue remedy. Remember to ensure your vet approves the treatment before administering it to your dog. Your local pet store might have some safe calming medications available.
Exercise and walk your dog during the day. Try and go for a reasonably long walk or play with them in your yard for a while. Make sure your dog eats before the fireworks begin – a tired and well-fed dog is less likely to feel anxious and your dog might not want to eat when the fireworks start.
Plan ahead to stay at home with your dog to keep him company. He will feel better knowing you are there with him. You need to remain calm and let your dog stay with you. Remember, our animals pick up on our emotions, so you need to ensure you are calm and collected at all times.
Reward your dog when he acts calmly with treats, this way he will associate calm behaviour with a reward. Try to keep your dog indoors during the fireworks, close the curtains and blinds to try and decrease any bright lights.
Create a comfortable hiding place for your dog. A cardboard box with his bed inside and some blankets is a great idea. You can then cover this box with another blanket or sheet.
Play some calming music or put on the TV to try and mask the noises.
Do not shout at your dog or punish him if he shows signs of fear and anxiety. Do not restrain your dog as he might choke himself on a lead or collar. It’s important that you keep an eye on your dog at all times so that he does not attempt to escape or injure himself.
If you are unable to supervise and watch your dog, then arrange for someone to be there to do so. Preferably someone who your dog knows and is comfortable with such as a close friend or a family member. Make sure this person can easily contact you should anything go wrong.
Discover: 5 Signs of Depression in Dogs & How to Help Your Furry Bestie
What you can do for your cat
Keep your cat indoors during the firework displays. Most cats will try and find a safe hiding place and come out of this hiding spot when the noises subside.
Make sure your cat has a safe spot to hide. As with your dog, you can create a safe box using a cardboard box and blankets. Make sure your cat is microchipped and that your details are updated in case they decide to run away.
Insure the health of your pet
As mentioned, pets might injure themselves when they are scared. To ensure your finances are covered in these sorts of situations, it helps to have pet insurance. And better yet, pet insurance that pays you BEFORE you see the vet. With Oneplan Pet Insurance, we include a range of pawsome benefits from hospital cover and emergency care to day-to-day care such as vet visits and routine care.
Read next: 6 Secrets to Stress-Free Vet Visits
The best thing you can do for your pets during New Year’s Eve fireworks displays is simply to be there to create a sense of security, and to minimise the noise as much as possible.
Your Pet Insurance Family,
Oneplan
