Firework Safety for Pets
Reducing animals stress by fireworks:
- Walk and feed - before dark, ensuring they take in lots of sniffs to tire them mentally as well as physically.
- Keep them inside the home - even dogs in fenced gardens can find ways to escape the scary sounds.
- If they need to toilet keep them on a lead
- Pet remedy products or thunder shirts - speak with your Vet who can advise.
- Give them a safe place to rest - setting up a comfortable room or crate.
- Close windows, curtains or blinds - as soon as it gets dark, rather than when you hear fireworks.
- Turn the ‘big lights’ on in the house to reduce the light from the flashes. While dogs do settle better in low light rooms, some dogs are frightened by the flashes.
- Use ambient noise to mask the bangs - a radio or TV playing comforting music. Classical has been shown to reduce stress in dogs.
- Try massage/calming therapy like TTouch
- Treats - if your dog can eat during fireworks, use enrichment toys to distract them.
- Gentle calm fuss (as any other time they come to you worried about something) is perfectly fine. Let them be with you, comfort them, they may not want fuss but instead just to be close to you, just be there. Stay calm and quiet.
- Ensure their IDs and Microchips are up to date
- If the doorbell goes make sure they are closed in a room that doesn’t give them access to the front door, removing risk of escape.