New Year's Celebrations and Animals: How to Protect Them?

New Year's Eve celebration is coming. We are all ready to open champagne and greet the New Year.

But while we humans celebrate, the animals huddle in their hiding places. On the last day of the year they have their ears full. : /

How do animals hear?

Animals that have much more developed hearing than we are are stressed out by loud explosions especially during New Year's celebrations. For them, the noise of an explosion is an alarm signal, which results in a panic reaction, ie not joyous and glorious.

The ear of a young person recognizes frequencies of 20-20,000 Hz (sporadically from 16 Hz), m aximal sensitivity is from 2,000 to 3,000 Hz. On the other hand, dogs, cats and pets generally show much better hearing capacities: a dog up to 60,000 Hz, while a cat up to 70,000 Hz.

On New Year's Eve suffer not only four-legged friends, dogs and cats, but also other animals, such as birds. Once in their nests or in search of their sanctuary, the birds begin to hear the sounds of fireworks and petards, scaring them so that they scare away to hide anywhere. They often lose their lives when they blindly hit a wall, glazed parts of buildings, grilles, or power lines.

Animals in the capital as well as us, therefore, enjoys the fact that firing fireworks and petards is already fined without approval. Our mission is to help the animals, so we have prepared some recommendations and tips to help your dogs and pets welcome New Year in the most comfortable way:

11 tips for the safety and comfort of your pet during New Year's Eve:

Never leave animals unattended when firecrackers and fireworks are loudly bouncing outside. Take a calm attitude towards the animal so that it feels safe in your presence. The important thing for both dogs and domestic cats in such a stressful situation is that their owner (leader of the home clamp :) remains a good support for them and can be said a reference point. Please bear in mind, therefore, that by your calm and especially balanced behavior as well as the tone of your voice, you show your pet that you are in control of the situation and that they do not have to be afraid either.

Leave the bed or any favorite haven of your four-legged pet in your apartment / house to your pet. Animals have a tendency to attack in unpleasant situations such as very severe noise stress. Also, avoid watching fireworks with a dog / cat on a balcony or behind a window, they usually don't like it at all. Preferably lower the blinds, close the curtains and close all windows or doors if necessary to minimize noise.

Fireworks and other loud noises can scare your dog, so they can try to escape. It is common for frightened dogs to jump over high fences just to get away and escape the noise. So already during the day, during 31.12. and the next day, when New Year's Eve still fades away, it's best to keep your four-legged friend indoors. Before that, of course, in the morning and at lunch well walk with a long walk, in the evening only necessarily shorter
and especially under supervision and on the lead.

Check the microchip, record, tattoo, label, and collar contact. In the event of a sudden loss, it is important that you can track the animal as soon as possible or be contacted immediately if other people find it. If you find yourself with a dog on the road as well as outdoors on a walk make sure you always keep the dog on the leash. During New Year's Eve this applies even to the most obedient four-legged :).

Watch the door. If you plan to invite guests to New Year's Eve, make sure that they are also watching the door at the entrance and exit of your home so that your pets do not get out and unwanted.

Beware of noise. Cheerful guests, fireworks, firecrackers and champagne opening all make the party great, but this noise can also cause anxiety to your pet, which may persist for days to come. It may present with diarrhea, vomiting, indigestion, fearfulness and other behavioral disorders which may also have a long-term effect. Therefore, keep your pet in a room away from any confusion or try to maintain the level of
noise as low as possible. Also available on the Slovak market are new products. silent fireworks whose beautiful visual effect is preserved, but do not make a typical loud sound and are therefore animal friendly.

Be careful with decorations. Decorations like confetti can be fun during your party, but your pet, especially a young dog, might think they are a snack. Therefore, keep decorations away from your pets.

Food specially for pets. Avoid feeding your pet with pieces from your festive table. Keep them away from foods that may be toxic like alcohol, chocolate or xylitol (sweetener)

Keep in touch with your veterinarian or a nearby clinic in case of emergency. Emergency is necessary if you could not give advice to the dog, if it had aggressive reactions, if the animal deteriorate its health or stress due to fear at the time of escape, lost and the like.

Be especially cautious if your pet has a chronic or even more serious problem (such as idiopathic cystitis, cardiology, epileptics ...), as any new stress situation can cause a relapse, a recurrence of the already managed disease.

Ask your vet to see if soothing medicines are needed and how to administer them correctly. Some animals also need a calming preparation to make them feel comfortable. However, each has its specification, which is best to consult with your veterinarian.

Health is the most common wish for the New Year. This also applies to your pet. In case you do not want anything with him even a little (change in behavior, exterior ...), it is best not to wait. Come to advise us and bring your pet professionally. This will prevent possible serious complications in time. Prevention as well as timely treatment can often save your pet and extend your life so that you can celebrate as many happy years together as possible.

We are pleased and thank you for your favor in 2018 and we would like to wish you and your animal friends a happy and healthy New Year 2019!