How to prepare your pet for the festive fireworks season

Fireworks can cause a lot of stress and fear for pets, especially younger animals, who often find the loud, unpredictable bangs extremely traumatic, often resulting in erratic, out-of-character behaviour.

Unfortunately for animals, such spellbinding displays of light and sound now form an intrinsic part of all Bonfire night, Diwali, Christmas and New Year celebrations and are pretty much an unavoidable consequence of the season. However, by accepting the inevitable, and preparing them for what’s to come in advance, you can help to reduce the negative impact fireworks can have on your pet’s health.

By following these tips, you can keep your pet safe, happy and confident during such festivities this year.

Having a designated space for your pet to retreat to during times of distress is crucial. Fill this area with their favourite things, such as toys, puzzles, pet bedding, and food and water stations. It is important to encourage this space as a relaxation area rather than a confinement.

Feeling trapped in one room can heighten their anxiety, especially with sudden loud noises and flashes of light. In addition to the larger area, provide hiding places for them. Offer options for them to roam or find shelter from the noise for added protection.

To relieve your pets' tension, there are various natural products available on the market. For instance, our Calming Collar for dogs aids in calming anxious and hyperactive pets so they can handle stressful situations better. The collar uses the natural soothing characteristics of the valerian and lavandin extracts, which it contains, to relieve any worry your pet may be feeling.

If you have a cat, or your dog experiences trouble with a collar, you could consider trying Calm-Eze Tablets instead. These natural nutritional supplements, which are filled with important amino acids, vitamins and minerals to calm anxious animals, are perfect for stressful situations.

Similar stress-relieving benefits on nervous pets are produced by pheromone diffusers. A relaxing influence can be cultivated by simply having one around the house in the weeks before the start of the fireworks season.

The continuous commotion from the outdoors tends to "spook" pets and may trigger their fight-or-flight response. If they choose to flee, there is a risk of them getting lost, or hurt, in the process.

Having your pet microchipped can make it easier to identify them if they escape. However, it is only beneficial if your contact information is current, enabling direct communication upon their retrieval, so be sure to update your records upon any change of residence or name.

Consider moving your daily dog walking schedule to earlier in the day if you believe there is a chance there might be fireworks that evening. This safety measure lowers your pet's exposure to the noise and protects their hearing.

Animals have more sensitive ears than humans, and can hear noises twice as loud. This explains their skittish reactions and desire to escape loud environments.

Leaving pets alone when there is a possibility of fireworks isn't advised but is sometimes unavoidable.

A fuller household will usually keep pets sufficiently occupied, however, if you are planning on heading out and leaving pets alone, you can try to fill the silence with music, TV or radio. Content isn't significant; it's meant as a distraction from outside noise.

While it’s generally accepted that cats and dogs are adversely affected by loud banging fireworks, smaller rodents, rabbits and caged animals may also feel uneasy. As such, you should consider bringing any external hutches or pens indoors or sheltering their homes in garages or sheds to reduce stress.

Additional bedding and blankets can offer more hiding spots or opportunities to burrow during fearful moments, so could be beneficial where practical.

Pets often exhibit anxiety in various ways, which include hiding, excessive vocalisation (barking, meowing, squeaking, etc.), restlessness, shaking, loss of appetite, aggression, and destructive behaviour.

As a responsible pet owner, you never want to see your furry friend scared or upset, so it's always best to desensitise them upfront and prepare them for the situation.

In doing so, you can provide reassurance that they will be safe despite the unusual circumstances.