Bonfire Night may be great fun for the family, but it can be a frightening time for our pets. The sudden explosive sounds can cause real anxiety and fear in our animals.
There are however things that we can do that can minimise their anxiety. Neston’s local pet care specialist, Jim Furlong of Petpals (Wirral West), offers some advice on how to help get our pets through this stressful time.
“There is no doubt that Bonfire Night can be an ordeal for our animals. They are often very stressed by the sound of the fireworks. To minimise their upset, I would suggest a few things we can do:
- Bring your pets indoors and draw the curtains to keep them as safe as possible during Bonfire Night.
- Create a favourite den for your pets. Encourage them to go there by placing healthy food treats there, by putting their favourite toy or favourite blanket there. This will help them feel more comfortable and secure.
- If your dog or cat hides during the fireworks you should try to ignore them, by fussing over them you can cause more stress.
- During Bonfire night play music or switch on the television to drown out noise from fireworks.
- At some vets you can purchase a simple plug-in diffuser that disperses a dog/cat appeasing pheromone into the room. The pheromone reassures the animal and naturally calms them down. You should aim to plug in the diffuser a week before Bonfire Night, so the pheromone has time to build up to significant levels and ensures the pets are as relaxed as possible.
- If your pet is not microchipped, make sure they have a collar or tag, in case they run away.
- Give your dog plenty of exercise during the day to ensure it is tired and ready to sleep in the evening.
- We must not forget our small pets, such as rabbits or guinea pigs. They can become very stressed by loud noises. If they live outside, bring them indoors or into the garden shed.
If we can follow some of these steps, hopefully our pets can get through Bonfire Night with the minimum of stress.”
Petpals (Wirral West) delivers high quality and professional pet services for all your pet care needs. These services include pet home visits, dog walking, cat sitting, dog sitting, dog visits, dog and small animal boarding – all with the aim of providing your pets with the same love and affection they receive from you. It is a particularly popular alternative to catteries and kennels.
Original article posted at http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Cheshire/Neston/CH64/News/Local-News/177824-Caring-for-pets-during-Bonfire-Night
