The beginning of the year is upon us and the problem of explosions of firecrackers and fireworks that frighten animals running serious risks returns: some run away from gardens and courtyards getting lost or ending up run over while older animals or animals with heart disease can die of 'heart attack.
Even the wildlife, birds and animals of parks and woods, frightened by the noise and sudden lights, get disoriented by crashing into trees, walls, windows, electric cables or ending up under cars.
To inform in particular the owners of dogs and cats on how to behave to keep them safe during New Year's Eve, the International Organization for the Protection of Animals (Oipa) has created a video decalogue.
Even the "Chinese lanterns", often flown on the occasion of the New Year, can cause the injury and death of animals and forest fires.
Some Italian municipalities, recalls the NGO, have already issued ordinances to prohibit the use of firecrackers for New Year's celebrations, but there are always too many who do not renounce this anachronistic tradition, also due to the paucity of controls aimed at repressing those who do not respect the rules.
Here are the points of the Oipa decalogue:
1. Let's keep animals as far away as possible from celebrations and places where firecrackers are exploded
2. Let's not leave them alone, they could have uncontrolled reactions and get injured.
We stay close to them, appearing calm and trying to distract them
3. Don't leave them in the garden.
We keep animals that usually live outside at home or in a protected place to avoid the danger of escape
4. We keep the volume of the radio or television high, closing the windows and shutters
5. We let them take refuge where they prefer, even if it is of a place that is normally forbidden to them
6. During the walks let's keep them on a leash, and let's not release them in the areas for animals to avoid escapes dictated by fear
7. Let's have the animal examined by a behaviorist veterinarian so that he can evaluate the possibility of a therapy of support
8. We avoid do-it-yourself solutions by administering tranquilizers, some are even contraindicated and increase the phobic state
9. Organize a trip out of town to spend New Year's Eve in places far from urban centers and loud and sudden noises
10. We ask our Municipality for an ordinance against barrels and raise public awareness of how much these useless noises can be harmful to domestic and wild animals
"To prevent the last day of the year from turning into drama or tragedy for animals, we have drawn up a set of rules and suggestions to secure and reassure your family member with a tail. The start of the new year should be a joy for everyone, not a cause for terror and anguish", explains the president of Oipa, Massimo Comparotto.
"At the same time, we appeal to the police to consider controls aimed at enforcing the ordinances a priority, not minimizing the direct and indirect consequences of irresponsible conduct by those who handle firecrackers", he concludes.