Fireworks and pets

[dianewilsher]

As we all know fireworks can be startling for pets and a lot of fireworks around the country will probably be sold
in the shops and when teenage boys, for example, start fooling with fireworks, it can startle the pets who belong to different
households and frighten them.

So what are you to do in helping your pets to stay calm between now and the 5th November?
Here are some points to consider.

SMALL ANIMALS

Rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, mice ferrets and birds all need to be treated with special care when fireworks
are being let off. These animals are easily frightened. The Blue Cross advises that owners of such types of small animal should follow these precautions.

Hutch/cages and enclosures should, if possible, be brought into a quiet room indoors, or into a garage or shed.

Give your pet extra bedding to burrow into so it feels safe

If you cannot bring your pet's hutch inside, you should turn it's enclosure around so that it faces a wall or fence instead of the open garden.

Cover any aviaries or hutches with thick blankets or a duvet to block out the sight of the fireworks and deaden the sound of the bangs, but make sure there is enough ventilation

DOGS & CATS

Keep dogs and cats inside when fireworks are being let off

Close all windows and doors and block off catflaps to stop pets escaping and to keep noise to a minimum.
Draw the curtains, and if the animals are used to the particular sounds of TV or radio switch them on but not too loudly
in order to block out some of the noise of the fireworks.

Hope this helps

Diane

 

[gothchick1515]

Some boys by us let some off the other day and the piggies didnt seem to care, though i wil cover them up with our old duvets, depending on how cold it is our there i might bring them in for winter

 

[dianewilsher]

Good idea Verity. The source came from the Blue Cross website

Diane

 

[snugglypig]

I am lucky here in Ireland as it is illegal to buy fireworks, and you only get organised displays near the big towns and I am in the middle of nowhere.

I do remember fireworks starting to be let off from October when I lived in england, I hated it and I am sure the animals did too.
They were always covered to muffle the noise.

karen

 

[kellyandpiggies]

Whenever there is fireworks all the animaks are put inside with radios on

 

[Deb]

I HATE LOUD fireworks. >

Its not so bad if they are just pretty, light up the sky and generally have the Aww factor. But the air bombs, and really noisy ones I wish they would ban. My pigs get so freaked out by the loud ones. It is really unfair that so many animals suffer such fright from them.

My birthday is the 6 nov, but i can never go out for my birthday due to Bonfire night and the endless noise going off everywhere from inconsiderate people who think they are fun. I have to stay in and be with my animals.

The sooner they get banned the better! I know I sound like a spoil sport but i lost one of my pigs after a neighbour let off loads of noisy fireworks, which I will never forgive them for.

Deb x

 

[DebbieR]

If only it was just on November 5th. They seem to be let off every other day for one reason or another. It's terrifying. I'm afraid to let my cats out of my sight

 

[lolseh]

Fireworks started going off here about 3 weeks ago. It's really bad here for them they start with them at 12 in the afternoon and at the weekend they can go on til 1 in the morn sometimes.
I put mine out in their run together with lots of hay and their tents and stuff and they just curl up inside things next to eachother.

 

[michellemuffin]

to be honest living on the Isle of wight we constantly have carnivals etc and fireworks are going off all year round so all of my animals are pretty much used to them now, although the hay is vey thick for them to hide under, but i refuse to have them in my garden, I hate the damn things anyway,

 

[Beaney]

My piggies are only babies so will have to make sure that they are well covered but they have a heated shed so should be OK.

My dog is so laid back he doesn't even flinch when fireworks go off and my rabbit is deaf so it doesn't bother him either.

I just wish it was organised displays only and then only on the weekend near Nov 5th rather thaneveryday the month before and the month after....

 

[gothchick1515]

Portsmouth put a ban on them between november 10th and novemeber 4th each year so u can only use them on the 5th-9th of novemeber but nobody pays any notice! how can you inforce a law like that!

 

[chinakit]

One of my dogs, Holly, is pretty freaked out by fireworks, she gets on my knee trembling and tries to hide. I know the experts say not to fuss them when they get like this, but how can I not comfort her?

I am getting some DAP diffusers this year, to see if they help at all. I have only had my other dog, Skye, since February, so no idea what she will be like, although she's not keen on loud noises.

All my guineas / rabbits will be living indoors very soon, so hopefully they will be ok.

Oh and Pebbles the gerbil, well he doesn't bother with fireworks at all

 

[Mary]

Just had a load go off again and its from the pub. I live 4 doors away and across the road. They could of at least come and tell us before hand! You wouldnt beilive how many dogs we have had in the vets the last couple weeks.

 

[chinakit]

Thank God they are pretty much over now ... at least until New Year.

 

[kellyandpiggies]

Hate fireworks! Have never liked them, even as a child! We have 3 cats and only one of them is petrified.

He stays behind the sofa poor little mite. The piggies couldn't care less!