Fireworks that light up the night sky in brilliant colours and loud bangs have become a New Year’s Eve tradition, but they can be loud and unexpected to your pets.
It’s best to keep animals inside during the night of Dec. 31 to avoid the potential of being spooked and running away from home during the commotion. For those planning on leaving pets home alone, the Victoria SPCA’s Blaze Fullbrook says to prepare your animals ahead of time.
“I would say typically don’t take them down to the fireworks. Most animals do not enjoy it and we see a lot of lost pets this time of year from it.”
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“Set them up for success, close your blinds so there’s no flashing lights, and then just leave your computer playing music,”Fullbrook suggests. “Honestly, just giving them a chew toy so that they have something to keep them busy, sometimes that’s enough to distract them. [But] sometimes there’s not to much you can do.”
Prep work is already underway for those animals living at the SPCA. According to Fullbrook, they usually have chew toys frozen in advance to hand out to residents with the hopes of keeping pets occupied. They will also play music that’s designed sooth animals.
“It’s like dog music, and then it has sounds that some dogs find startling. So like a car starting, and it’ll have them really quietly in the background so that the dogs are slowly accustomed to it,” Fullbrook said. “Usually we use Through a Dog’s Ear, or just something off of YouTube.”
Jesse Laufer [9:37 AM]
jesse.laufer@oakbaynews.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
