JSPCA PRESS RELEASE

October 2007  

FIREWORKS - HELP TO PROTECT YOUR PET

Fireworks can seriously, even fatally, injure both animals and people.  Only responsible adults should handle fireworks and fireworks should NEVER be let off near animals.

Every year, fireworks cause much distress to a variety of different animals, both domestic pets and wildlife.

Therefore, please remember that as Halloween and Bonfire Night approach, to protect your pet when fireworks are around:

Dogs and Cats:

• Keep your cats and dogs indoors

• Close your curtains and windows and switching on the radio or television may help to mask the noise

• Exercise your dog during the day, when there is less likely to be any fireworks

• Never walk your dog whilst there are fireworks being let off

• Make sure your cats and dogs are appropriately identified, either by a microchip, or a collar and disc, so that they can be returned to you if they escape and becomes lost

• A plug in diffuser that disperses a synthetic copy of a naturally occurring pheromone produced by the bitch to reassure her puppies is available from veterinary surgeries and appears to be very effective at calming anxieties in dogs caused by fireworks.

Small animals (rabbits and guinea pigs):  

• Small animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs can also become very distressed from loud noises

• Bring small animals indoors or into an outhouse or garden shed to offer them extra protection

Horses:

• Horses often bolt from firework noise and can injure themselves

• Always make sure horse, ponies and donkeys are stabled while fireworks are being let off

• Close the stable door to ensure that the fireworks can not be seen

Bonfires can also cause problems for wild animals, such as hedgehogs, which can crawl into them in search of a place to sleep.  To minimise this risk, build bonfires as late as possible and make sure that you disturb the foundations of the bonfire before it is lit, so that any sleeping wildlife is given the chance to escape.

Please be sensible and responsible - never let fireworks off in the presence of pets or other animals.

ENDS