Fireworks and Pets
Top tips
Follow these easy top tips to make sure your pet remains relaxed
and happy over the firework season.
- On the evenings you expect fireworks ensure your pet is safe
indoors and secure doors, windows and cat flaps
- Make sure your dog or cat is microchipped. If they do escape,
frightened confused animals can easily get lost or injured and it
is important that they are easily identified
- Ensure dogs are taken out to toilet early in the evening and
cats are provided with a litter tray
- Draw curtains to reduce outside noise and play music or have
the TV turned on to help mask the noise of fireworks.
- Ignore any fearful behaviour. Do not try to comfort your pet.
The animal will pick up on your anxiety and this may make the
problem worse and/or fussing a pet who appears frightened can
reward this negative behaviour
- Don’t punish your pet either; this only confirms that there was
something to be afraid of
- If your pet hides in a corner or under a bed, leave it alone
and do not try to coax it out. This ‘bolthole’ is where the animal
feels most secure
- Try not to go out during such potentially upsetting events.
Seeing you acting normally will help your pets feel more
settled
- Speak to your vet about using the synthetic pheromones D.A.P.Ò
(Dog Appeasing Pheromone) to help comfort your dog and/or FeliwayÒ
to help reassure your cat during the fireworks season
- If you are still worried or if the pet takes a long time to
recover from the experience contact your vet for further assistance
or for referral for behavioral therapy
