FIREWORKS, FRIGHT AND PETS!
"Family pets need to be taken into consideration if there is the likelihood of a firework display in your area." - Richard Dancy, Marketing Director, Oscar
Remember, remember the 5th of November and Christmas and New Year and any special occasion that enjoys the blast, whizz, flash and bang of fireworks.
It’s at times like these when we need to remember our dogs, our cats and even our garden wildlife. Animals rely on their nose and their ears to aid their sight – hence why a sudden bang will sound like a huge explosion. Just imagine how they hear the sound of a firework!
The new legislation on noise levels after midnight for the 5th November makes little difference to our pets. These noises, at any time, are enough to shatter those who are sensitive to them. As Richard Dancy, Marketing Director at Oscar, says, “Family pets need to be taken into consideration if there is the likelihood of a firework display in your area. We appreciate that some animals will be upset by the sound of fireworks and insecurity can lead to a more serious situation. A nervous dog or cat will display a condition linked to hyper-alertness that could be compared to noise phobia in humans. A hyper-alert animal, under stress, will make powerful and lasting ‘first time associations’ with the noise and any repeat will trigger an instinctive behaviour known as ‘ flight, freeze or fight’. Therefore, pet owners need to be prepared in advance for the onslaught.”
Richard Dancy working with Shelley Aspden, Oscar’s Pet Behaviour Counsellor, have collated some useful information and tips on how to enjoy a stress-free firework season for the family and their pets.
- Dogs find comfort in having a ‘bolt-hole’ which offers them safety and security.
- In the wild, dogs will naturally find a burrow or den to run to when their nerves are threatened.
- A ‘bolt-hole’ can be replicated in the home by providing a Dog Den or Pet Carrier.
- Introducing the safety zone needs positive training well in advance. • Reinforcing the feeling of security is helped by the introduction of a scented object – an item of old clothing can offer the smell of familiar surroundings.
- Talk radio or TV, on high volume, creates a background sound to help disguise the intrusion of disturbing noises outside the home.
- Cats will want to climb to different heights to ease their tension. Providing places to hide, climb or perch will increase their security and help them through the stress.
- A word of warning about wild animals – they too need to hide and a prepared bonfire looks like an ideal den. Look before you light!
Don’t make a happy time a sad time! As part of the Oscar Complete Pet Care Service Shelley can help you through the many stages of animal behavioural uncertainties.
