Bonfire Night tips and tricks to keep your pets calm so November 5 goes with a bang not a whimper
REMEMBER your pets this fifth of November.
The racket of Guy Fawkes Night rockets can be upsetting for animals. Twice as many dogs go missing at fireworks season, the Kennel Club says.
CBeebies vet Cat Henstridge — Cat the Vet from The Pets Factor — has advice for pet owners . . .
Normalise noises: Introducing noises in a controlled way can help pets get used to odd sounds in advance. Sounds Scary is free to download at dogstrust.org.uk. Play it at a low volume when you are with your dog or cat and if they react, reassure them calmly and give them a treat. It shows them you are not worried.
Doing this a few times before Bonfire Night can lessen its impact, especially for younger dogs. But I don’t recommend it for pets that have previously shown significant signs of firework distress.
Make a doggy den: Dogs feel most secure in small and enclosed spaces — which will also help to muffle noises.
On Bonfire Night, make a den from a crate and a blanket, under a table or behind the sofa. If your pet picks its own place, leave them to relax there.
Chew to chill: Chewing and licking are relaxing behaviours for our pets and can soothe their anxiety. Toys from brands such as Kong (petsathome.com) which can be smeared with sticky treats like peanut butter will distract dogs.
Tire them out: A good daytime walk can help get dogs to sleep in the evening but do not run your pup ragged to wear them out — this can have the opposite effect.
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Let them sniff and stop whenever they want. This is like a dog version of scrolling through social media and will give their mind a workout.
Try relaxing pet pheromones: These are signals pets use to interact with the world around them. They are available as plug-ins — much like air fresheners — as well as sprays and even collars for them to wear throughout the stressful fireworks period. See viovet.co.uk for a selection of products.
Check the chips: If the worst happens and your pet is spooked by fireworks into running away, having its microchip details up to date means you are far more likely to get them back.
Cats are more likely to try escaping if panicked, so make sure they are home safely on Bonfire Night, with cat flaps locked in advance.
Turn on some tunes: Pets have very sensitive hearing, so you will not be able to drown out the noises of fireworks, no matter how loud you have the telly. But you can try to muffle the sounds.
Put on music with a regular, firm, pulsing beat. Something like drum ’n’ bass is ideal.
Don’t forget little pets too: Smaller aminals, such as rabbits and guinea pigs, are often still living outside at this time of year and can be very frightened by fireworks.
Bringing them indoors for a few evenings, or moving their hutch into a shed or garage, can be really helpful. If this is not possible, cover their cages with a thick blanket and give them extra bedding so they can really snuggle down.
- The Pets Factor is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
