12/28/2021, 10:55 AM | from Editors CHIP / DPA
Created with agency material
Detonations deprive animals of their sense of direction and trigger shocks. The New Year’s Eve gluttony isn’t good for her at all. Will the fireworks sale ban help you? And what else can you do for your four-legged friends and other pets? An expert explains.
No firecrackers and rockets may be sold on New Year’s Eve 2021. But that by no means relaxes animal lovers around the turn of the year. It cannot be ruled out that remaining stocks will be ignited. Fireworks can also be obtained online or beyond German borders. But the noise is a big problem for the hearing of animals, warn animal rights activists.
Wild animals react strongly to loud and sudden popping noises. According to the animal welfare organization Vier Pfoten, radar measurements in the Netherlands have shown that thousands of birds soar to great heights on New Year’s Eve, where they can barely orientate themselves.
Panicked dogs want to get away from the situation
Half of all dogs are also afraid of noise, estimate the four-paw experts. Because nature has equipped them with very sensitive hearing organs. You can’t classify the noise as harmless, says four-paw pet expert Sarah Ross, describing the problem. Dogs reacted differently to the stress. “It ranges from fearful to panicked – it is not uncommon for them to try to escape the situation,” says the vet.
In the worst case, panic could even lead to dogs jumping through an open window on the third floor to escape the situation, says the Ulm veterinarian Ralph Rückert. Physical symptoms such as diarrhea, trembling for hours or refusal to eat are still considered signs of the immense stress. The symptoms of anxiety often persisted for weeks after the turn of the year.
Tips for a pet-friendly New Year’s Eve
- “Act as if it were a completely normal day,” says Christoph May from the World Animal Protection Society (WTG). Because personal behavior is transferred to the animal. In this way, masters signaled security and normalcy to their protégés.
- Animals should not be left alone on New Year’s Eve, and outdoor cats should not go outside one or two days before New Year’s Eve, advises the WTG.
- If you step outside the door on New Year’s Eve, you should definitely do it without an animal.
- As is known, if the animals suffer particularly badly from the loud turn of the year or are even prone to panic attacks, it may be advisable to give calming medication in consultation with a veterinarian.
- “There are now products that you no longer have to sneak in days in advance and then sneak out afterwards. Instead, they are administered using a gel in which they are distributed in the oral cavity,” says Sonja Krämer from the Veterinary Association for Animal Welfare. Keepers would be instructed in detail by the veterinarian.
- Closing windows early to reduce noise. If available, shutters and curtains should also be closed in the afternoon. “That avoids glaring light effects,” says Christoph May.
- Create a quiet zone for the animal: You can set up a darkened and quiet room and let music and television play softly there. May: “That makes for a calming background noise.” However, the following applies: “The animal should already be familiar with these spaces and sounds and feel comfortable with them,” says May.
- In the event that an animal escapes from panic, an address tag with a telephone number should be attached to the collar for emergencies around the turn of the year.
- The WTG advises owners of small animals and pet birds: hang the ceiling over the cage or enclosure and place it as far away from the window as possible.
- When taking a New Year’s walk with your dog, you should watch out for broken glass and other objects that could lead to injuries, advises the WTG.
Dog Owners Should Know: Is Snow Eating Dangerous For Dogs?
