Fur-well 2020, hello 2021! New Year’s Eve is full of parties, food, and celebrating new beginnings. While this time of year may be fun for us, loud noises, big gatherings and fireworks can be very stressful and dangerous for our pets. With a little planning, you can make sure the New Year celebrations are safe for your furry friends. 

Fireworks

New Year’s Eve goes hand in hand with eventful, celebratory fireworks. While fireworks can be fun and exciting for us, they can pose a lot of stress and anxiety to our four-legged friends. Some dogs hide, have accidents in the house, shake with fear, or bark nonstop.

Though you most likely can’t stop the fireworks from happening, you can set up a safe space for your furry friend. The best place to keep your dog during a fireworks show is inside. To filter out the sounds coming from outside, it’s a good idea to close the windows. Don’t forget to close the curtains as well, in order to keep out flashes of light that can startle your furry friend. Playing soothing music or leaving the TV on in the background is also a great way to drown out the booming fireworks. 

If your dog has a crate, bed, or blanket they love, having it near will help create this safe space. Make sure your pup is able to easily access these spaces during events that may be stressful for them. [Learn more about cozy & calming pet blankets]

Fill the room with your dog’s favorite toys and access to fresh water. Check on your pup throughout the night to make sure they are comfortable.

Make sure your pup gets plenty of exercise before the festivities and fireworks get started. Getting most of their energy out beforehand can encourage them to relax so they're not ready to take off when the fireworks start. Getting most of their energy out beforehand can encourage them to relax so they're not ready to take off when the fireworks go off. As the saying goes, “a tired dog is a good dog!” 

Identification Is Very Important

Oftentimes, due to the stress and anxiety resulting from loud fireworks, many dogs and cats will run away on New Year’s Eve. Even if a pet is inside, the startling sounds of fireworks and noisemakers can cause them to enter into panic mode, escaping the house by any means necessary. Make sure your pet’s identification tags and microchips are up-to-date in the event they do get away. 

Keep Your Pet On Their Normal Diet

Avoid giving your dog too many scraps from the New Year’s Eve party. Any change in diet, even just for one meal, can give your pet diarrhea and indigestion. This especially rings true with older dogs who have more sensitive digestive systems. Also, keep in mind that certain foods such as onions, avocados, grapes, chocolate, and raisins can be toxic to your furry friend. Try to feed your pet before the New Year’s Eve festivities begin. 

In addition to grapes being dangerous to dogs, many grape-containing products, like wine and champagne are also extremely dangerous and toxic to your pet. These drinks and other alcoholic drinks can cause dogs to have serious kidney failure, damage to their nervous system and liver.

If you think your pet ate or drank something they shouldn’t have, don’t hesitate to reach out to an emergency veterinarian as soon as possible! 

Extra Precautions

If you have enough time, you can try desensitizing your dog to loud noises by playing a recording of fireworks while doing something fun with them. Start off at a low volume and create positive associations by giving your furry friend attention or treats. Gradually increase the volume over several days. This way they’ll learn to associate the fireworks with good things and will become used to the noise over time.

With some planning and preparation, you can ensure that this year's celebrations are safe and enjoyable for everyone.