The strange unexplained sound of explosions in the sky can be disturbing for animals. Instinctively, they treat such a sound with intense fear. As a result, bonfire night can be an especially stressful time for cats, dogs, and other pets.
Animal’s hearing are much more sensitive than humans, meaning fireworks serve as a much bigger disturbance than it does to you or I. To help with this we’ve compiled a list of tips to assist with the
Your daily dog walk should be done in daylight, when fireworks aren’t likely to be set off.
Make sure your animals are kept inside during the dark hours, as this is the time where fireworks are likely to be set off.
Playing some music at a low volume may help to mask the sound of any explosions. Comforting your pets can help them to relax, but this depends on the animal, sometimes they may feel more comfortable being left alone.
Remember; do not punish your pets for being afraid, as this will only promote nervous behaviour in the long run.
Make sure your pet is secure, if frightened it could try to escape, which could be disastrous.
Close any windows, and if you can, this will minimise noise.
For dogs, designate a ‘safe’ area for your animal where it can go if it gets frightened, this area could have its windows covered.
For cats, make sure there is a place is can hide if it wants to, this may be under some furniture or in a quiet corner, don’t try to take the cat out of this area, as this may cause further stress.
For small animals, a lot of extra bedding can provide more material to dig further into.
If they live outside, partly cover any pens, cages and aviaries with a blanket so they have a dark, soundproof area they can refer to
