Remember, remember your pets this November!
Recent research by Ceva Animal Health revealed that 57 per cent of pet owners believe that the festivities are stressful for their animals.
Here are some hints and tips that you can follow to help your pets through the firework party season:
1. Provide a den or hiding place for your pet whilst fireworks are going off. This can be a crate, carrier, cardboard box or towel over a chair.
2. Provide interactive toys or tasty treats for your pet. If your pet chooses to interact with the family during fireworks, make it fun and provide interactive toys to distract your dog during the fireworks, and tasty treats to help entice and reward them for using their den.
3. Try playing soothing music in the background or have the TV on to help muffle the sounds of the fireworks. Also, by drawing the curtains, you can help mask the noise and disguise the flashes from outside.
4. Use an Adaptil or Feliway diffuser as close to the den or hiding place as possible, or where your pet spends most of its time, to provide comforting support. If this is not possible, try the Adaptil
collar or Feliway spray, which can both provide on-going support during the firework party period.
5. Try and ignore fearful behaviour, dogs in particular may pick up on their owners' anxiety making the problem worse. The best thing to do is to leave your pet to cope independently. Only step in if they are causing harm to themselves or others.
6. Ensure all windows, doors and cat flaps are closed to both prevent pets escaping and reduce the noise.
7. For cat owners - ensure your cat(s) have access to enough litter trays during the firework season, especially if you are keeping them inside. We suggest one per cat plus one extra.
8. For dog owners, walk your dog(s) early in the evening to avoid taking them out during the fireworks.
9. Ensure your pet has been micro-chipped; providing identification if your pets does manage to bolt and escape during fireworks.
10. DO NOT punish your pets! Just like humans animals can get scared too and by punishing them you are only making them more distressed.
For further information on how to prepare your pet for the firework season, please contact your local veterinary practice or visit www.adaptil.co.uk or www.feliway.co.uk
Here are some hints and tips that you can follow to help your pets through the firework party season:
1. Provide a den or hiding place for your pet whilst fireworks are going off. This can be a crate, carrier, cardboard box or towel over a chair.
2. Provide interactive toys or tasty treats for your pet. If your pet chooses to interact with the family during fireworks, make it fun and provide interactive toys to distract your dog during the fireworks, and tasty treats to help entice and reward them for using their den.
3. Try playing soothing music in the background or have the TV on to help muffle the sounds of the fireworks. Also, by drawing the curtains, you can help mask the noise and disguise the flashes from outside.
4. Use an Adaptil or Feliway diffuser as close to the den or hiding place as possible, or where your pet spends most of its time, to provide comforting support. If this is not possible, try the Adaptil
collar or Feliway spray, which can both provide on-going support during the firework party period.
5. Try and ignore fearful behaviour, dogs in particular may pick up on their owners' anxiety making the problem worse. The best thing to do is to leave your pet to cope independently. Only step in if they are causing harm to themselves or others.
6. Ensure all windows, doors and cat flaps are closed to both prevent pets escaping and reduce the noise.
7. For cat owners - ensure your cat(s) have access to enough litter trays during the firework season, especially if you are keeping them inside. We suggest one per cat plus one extra.
8. For dog owners, walk your dog(s) early in the evening to avoid taking them out during the fireworks.
9. Ensure your pet has been micro-chipped; providing identification if your pets does manage to bolt and escape during fireworks.
10. DO NOT punish your pets! Just like humans animals can get scared too and by punishing them you are only making them more distressed.
For further information on how to prepare your pet for the firework season, please contact your local veterinary practice or visit www.adaptil.co.uk or www.feliway.co.uk