Fireworks: Tips to ensure your pet is safe and calm

Fireworks are known to cause anxiety and stress in certain animals. To ensure that your pet is safe and calm check out these tips.  These tips are recommended by Amanzimtoti SPCA.  

•  Make sure your pet has visible tags or your contact number on its collar.
•  Make sure your pet is microchipped.
•  You need to stock up on calming medicine. Most medicines like calmezee or anxitane which can be bought at the SPCA or local vet require you to start giving your pets dosages a few days before the day already. For these medications you will need to know the weight of your dog. These medications are herbal so if they are extra anxious you will need to take your dog or cat to the vet to get prescription medication.
•  Leave town altogether. If you know your pet has severe fireworks anxieties, consider leaving town with your pet and going on a quiet retreat. While city cats and dogs might be used to the constant loud bangs of urban life, fireworks can still trigger anxieties. You could also opt for a kennel in the country, but only if your pet has visited it before.
•  Cats also get scared of fireworks so you can also get calmeeze at your local vet for cats.
•  Keep your animals indoors with either the tv or radio on so it can drown out the noise.
•  Take your dog for a walk earlier on in the day so this can make them feel more relaxed and tired.
•  Make sure your pet drinks water during the evening. Fear makes them pant so make sure they drink.
•  Keep treats in hand as a distraction during the evening.
•  Do not punish a pet for being scared. Punishing your pet because it’s afraid of loud noises is the wrong reaction, and could lead to reinforcement of their fear. Your job as a pet owner is to quell your dog’s or cat’s anxiety by trying to redirect the animal’s attention. Since your pet takes its cues from you, if you are at home act secure and confident.
• Put a t-shirt on your dog, this helps calm them.

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