People may love the boom of fireworks on New Year’s Eve but to pets around the world (as well as children and wildlife), fireworks can be terrifying. To remedy this, some North American cities have abandoned traditional fireworks for low-noise fireworks (a.k.a. silent fireworks), and some overseas retailers now offer low-noise fireworks for home use.
While low-noise fireworks for home use have yet to land on North American shores in a major way, many fireworks retailers now recognize that loud fireworks aren’t for everyone and offer quieter, more pet-friendly alternatives to the window-rattling explosions that typically send pets diving for cover:
• Fountain fireworks and multi-shot aerial fireworks focus more on visual color and light display. Some may make a crackle or swoosh sound, but overall, they rate lower on the noise scale than their cannonade cousins.
• While some pinwheel fireworks (a.k.a. Catherine wheels) come loaded with banshee-wail pyrotechnics, other pinwheels offer dazzling lightshows with low noise.
• Sparklers have always had near-zero sound.
To have a blast this New Year’s Eve without a literal blast, speak with your fireworks retailer about the quietest fireworks options available.
If you can’t find quiet fireworks for some reason, or if your neighbors prefer shooting off loud fireworks, here are five tips to better ensure your pet’s safety when the clock strikes midnight and the kaboom comes down:
1. Leave Pets at Home
Don’t leave your pet tied up outdoors or take them along to a fireworks display. Animal shelters commonly see an influx of pets who’ve run off on New Year’s Eve to escape the terrifying sounds. Keep your pet indoors and set up a secure, warm place where your pet can safely retreat. Yet ultimately let your pet determine the location that feels best. If your pet decides to dive for cover under the bed or in the closet, let your pet remain there undisturbed until they feel safe enough to come out.
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2. Watch the Windows and Doors
Homes can become busy places on New Year’s Eve, from the comings and goings of people at New Year’s Eve parties to doorbells ringing from drivers delivering pizza, chicken, or Chinese food. So be mindful of the door when party guests arrive/leave or paying for delivery food. For panicked pets, an open door represents one more escape route from frightening fireworks, and watch the windows as well. Terrified pets have been known to dive through window screens in their bid to escape.
3. Don’t Chase Your Pet
On a normal day, your runaway pet will likely recognize you and come when called. However, in a heightened state of fear caused by fireworks, your pet may be consumed with the instinct to flee danger and chasing your pet can give them a reason to flee faster. So, be patient. Call your pet reassuringly as you walk after them. Carry some treats to help entice them back to you. Your pet is looking for safety, so be that assurance of safety, and if your pet still doesn’t come back and disappears, contact your local Human Society to enlist their help.
4. Make Sure Your Pet Has an Updated ID Tag
While some lost pets manage to find their way home on their own, some may be found by other people (even against incredible odds), and some will wind up in shelters. To increase your odds of seeing your pet again, make sure your pet has an updated ID microchip or collar tag.
5. Do Not Punish Your Pet
Humans understand that fireworks are not some attack by a time-traveling army carrying muskets. So, you may feel that fear of fireworks is ridiculous. Or, if you have guests, you may even feel embarrassed by your pet’s frightened behavior. However, do not punish or scold your pet. Such behavior only deepens your pet’s feeling that something is terribly wrong and can make a bad situation even worse.
Have a warm and wonderful New Year.
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