Pets and New Year's Eve without fear: how to help your darling

Created: 12/28/2021, 4:34 PM

By: Nina Marie Jarosch

For many animals, New Year's Eve is the worst day of the year.

We give tips on how you can help your darling and make the turn of the year as pleasant as possible.

Hamburg - For many people, rockets, fireworks and sparklers are simply part of New Year's Eve.

But the loud noises and flashes of light mean, according to the animal welfare organization "Four Paws", an enormous stressful situation for most pets and wild animals.

It is true that no rockets and firecrackers are allowed to be sold at the turn of this year, but it cannot be ruled out that remaining stocks will be ignited or fireworks will be obtained online.

Landtiere.de reports with which simple measures pet owners can help their darlings and calm their nerves on New Year's Eve.

Pets and New Year's Eve without fear: how to help your darling

The four-paw experts estimate that around half of all dogs are afraid of noise.

The four-legged friends are naturally endowed with a particularly sensitive hearing organ and cannot classify noise as no danger.

Dogs react very differently to it: it ranges from stress to panic with flight instinct.

Symptoms of stress can also express themselves physically, such as diarrhea, prolonged tremors or refusal to eat.

In severe cases, these anxiety symptoms can persist for days or weeks after the turn of the year.

When there is a bang outside on New Year's Eve, some animals are hiding under the sofa inside.

(Symbol picture) © blickwinkel / Imago

Pets and New Year's Eve without fear: preparatory measures

The World Animal Protection Society (WTG) advises on its website not to let outdoor cats out of the house one or two days before and after New Year's Eve. Of course not on New Year's Eve anyway, because the noise could panic them, run too far away and not find their way home. As a preventive measure, it is definitely advisable to have the cat chipped if it escapes from the apartment despite all caution.

Dog owners should not take their four-legged friends for a walk without a leash a few days before New Year's Eve, if a firecracker is ignited beforehand and the animal is startled. "This can lead to the fact that the animals panic and seriously injure themselves or run away," says Katharina Kohn, managing director of the World Animal Protection Society, on the WTG website. On New Year's Eve you should do the last walk around early enough to avoid the greatest noise and hustle and bustle outside.

Small animals and caged animals such as guinea pigs, rabbits and birds are also very prone to stress.

To reduce noise and light, you should hang a blanket over the cage or enclosure and place it as far as possible from the window, preferably in a quiet room.

An additional layer of bedding gives them the opportunity to hide even better.

Pets and New Year's Eve without fear: tips for owners and animals

For all pet owners who want to help their loved ones on New Year's Eve, we have put together a few tips on how to bring the animals into the New Year as stress-free as possible and how to make this day as pleasant as possible for them.

• Do not leave pets alone on New Year's Eve:

  You should never leave your animals alone on New Year's Eve, because the presence of their humans can be very helpful and calming for them.

  Outdoor cats should not be allowed out one or two days before New Year's Eve.

• Behave as always:

  Since personal behavior and your own mood are transferred to our darlings, you should behave on New Year's Eve as if it were a completely normal day.

  This gives the pet normality and security.

• Shutters down and windows closed:

  In order to protect your pet from glaring light effects and noise, it is advisable to close the windows and, if available, shutters or curtains in good time.

• Set up

  a quiet room

  and offer hiding places:

  If you can, you should set up a place of refuge for your animal, for example in a quiet room.

  There you can also play soft music or the TV, which creates a calming background noise.

  Cats must have plenty of places to hide, for example in the open closet, or owners should create several cozy burrows for them.

• Soothing medication:

  If animals suffer a lot from the turn of the year - possibly with panic attacks and great fear - it is advisable to give calming medication in consultation with the veterinarian.

  Pheromones can also help calm down cats.

  Here, too, it is advisable to consult your veterinarian.

• Chip address tag on the collar / pet:

  If the dog or cat succeeds in escaping outside and running away despite all precautionary measures, it is an advantage if the animal wears a collar with an address tag or, in the best case, is chipped and registered.

  This increases the chance of reuniting with your loved one.

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