Safety first for your pets during the fireworks season

Christmas and New Year’s Eve are often celebrated with firecrackers.

It is no secret that fireworks can upset animals, so Pedigree and Whiskas spoke to Allan Perrins, spokesperson at the Animal Welfare Society of SA for some tips and tricks to keep pets safe and calm.

If you know your pet will be distressed there are a number of off-the-shelf or prescribed calming remedies that could help lessen the trauma. Keep your pet in a safe and secure room so they can’t run away.

If you try to select a room that will muffle the noise from outdoors, you can surround them with familiar and comforting items.

You can even turn on the television or play music to help drown out the noise.

As added security, keep the curtains drawn, which will also prevent animals from trying to escape through glass panes. Have a selection of healthy treats on hand to use as a distraction while the fireworks display is going on. Fear makes animals pant, and while they might want to hide and avoid the water bowl, make sure your frightened pet is staying hydrated so keep their food and water bowls nearby. Even with secure screens, a cat or small dog may be able to escape in a panic. Animals have very sensitive hearing and the noses and burning scent of fireworks can be distressing, so rather keep the windows closed. If it is hot, put a fan on in the room. Make sure your pets have name tags with phone numbers and home addresses that are up to date, so that if they do happen to run away, someone can get them back to you.

If your pets are micro-chipped, make sure the information associated with it is current.