New Year’s Eve is a wonderful time for celebrations. To ring in the new year, many people play loud music and spark firecrackers. Generally, it’s a fun time for everyone…except for our pets.
Celebrations like New Year’s Eve can be extremely dangerous for animals, especially our dogs. Loud noises, unfamiliar people, and flashing lights can instill fear and anxiety to our dear doggos. In fact, German animal welfare organization TASSO reported in 2021 that more pets get lost during New Year’s Eve than any other day of the year. According to the report, an average of 310 animals escape their homes throughout the year but during New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day, this number rises to as much as 365. This is because when dogs get scared from firecrackers and other loud noises, it’s in their natural instincts to seek shelter.
To ensure the safety of your doggo this New Year’s Eve, here are some friendly reminders and tips from our team of Maxime experts.
1. Tire out your pets during the day.
One simple trick to help your doggo relax during New Year’s Eve? Tire them out during the day. Bring them out on a walk during the early morning, play with them in the garden, or play catch with them. By getting them more exercise, this will increase their likelihood to remain calm and sleep through the loud celebrations when the evening rolls in.
2. Keep them away from open areas.
Do not bring your dogs to firework displays. Fireworks and firecrackers might be pretty for us hoomans, but all the flashing lights and explosive noises wouldn’t be appreciated by your doggo! Dogs have twice more sensitive hearing than humans, so imagine all that noise amplified for them.
Whatever you do during New Year’s, make sure to keep your dogs indoors. Keep them in a safe and secure room where the doors and windows are closed but there’s enough ventilation. Double-check your locks, your fence, and your front gates.
3. Make sure your dogs are wearing their collars and name tags.
For an additional safety measure, make your doggos wear their collars and name tags at all times while the festivities are ongoing. Make sure that their name tags have your complete contact details (name and contact number) just in case your doggo manages to escape outside the house.
4. Give your dogs plenty of pillows and blankets they can burrow into.
Once the New Year festivities start, you can expect your doggo to start searching for a safe space where they can hide. Don’t cuddle or hug your dog when they start stressing out, instead provide them their favorite pillow, blanket, or toy.
5. Use anti-stress aid like body wraps, thundershirts, and pheromones.
The goal is to help your doggo remain calm despite the festivities. You can do this by making them wear a thundershirt or a DIY body wrap as this will feel like a hug to help them relax (just make sure that it’s not too tight that it cuts off their circulation). If pheromone sprays are an option, you could also spray this in the room they’re staying in to help them calm their nerves.
Follow these tips for a pet-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration with your floof babies. Don’t forget to feed your doggo their favorite Maxime Dog Food for a complete and nutritionally-balanced meal before the festivities start.
Have a safe and Happy New Year!
References:
https://www.tasso.net/Tierregister/Tier-vermisst?lang=de-DE
https://myvetanimalhospital.com.au/top-tips-dogs-fireworks-new-years-eve/
https://www.four-paws.org/our-stories/publications-guides/new-years-eve-minimising-your-pets-stress
https://tractive.com/blog/en/safety/pet-safety-tips-for-new-years-eve