Keeping pets safe this bonfire night - Harron Homes

With bonfire night rapidly approaching, it’s time to repay the favour by keeping our pets safe and calm during the noisy celebrations.

Harron Homes shares some top tips from the RSPCA to help dogs over firework season.

1. Create a safe space – fill a corner with blankets and toys to keep them comforted, in the quietest corner of the house. If they’re used to being in a crate, fill that instead, but don’t lock them in!
2. Let them roam – On a similar vein, let your dog free wherever they’re usually allowed. They’ll choose where they’re most comfortable, and if they’re trapped in one space they may hurt themselves or cause damage trying to escape. If this includes outside, make sure fences are well secured so pets aren’t able to escape if they get spooked.
3. Wear them out early – Take your pup for a long walk earlier in the day and there’ll be less need for them to be outside while the fireworks are happening. They might even sleep through the whole thing!
4. Mask the disturbance – Harron homes, like all new homes, generally have better sound insulation than older second hand homes, but keep the TV or radio on as well to mask the racket, classical music is the most calming. The RSPCA is working with Classic FM’s Pet Sounds programme to help pets and their owners stay calm on Bonfire Night. If it’s the light bothering your pet, try closing the curtains or leaving the lights on indoors to reduce the flashing.
5. Keep them occupied – Keep their minds off the commotion with a puzzle toy such as a Kong with layers of food. Equally, if they’re noshing on a chew, they won’t be causing trouble!

Advice is similar for other pets too; provide plenty of safe hiding spaces in your home for cats and keep them indoors if possible. Consider bringing other small animals indoors too, but this has to be done gradually so plan in advance for that move. If they can’t be brought in, partly cover cages and pens with blankets so an area is soundproofed and hidden, while still allowing them space to look out.

RSPCA animal welfare expert Dr Mark Kennedy said: “We understand that people enjoy celebrating Bonfire Night, New Year’s Eve and other key dates with fireworks and we don’t want to spoil the fun.

“Unfortunately, lockdown measures this year mean that very few organised, public displays are likely to go ahead and we suspect this means lots of families will be choosing to have their own displays at home.

“Fireworks are extremely stressful and frightening for lots of animals, so we’d urge people to be considerate and keep neighbours with animals informed of plans so they can make preparations to reduce the stress to their animals.”

Natalie Griffiths, Sales and Marketing Director for Harron Homes North Midlands said, “We’ve shown throughout the year how much animals mean to us at Harron, from pets inside the home, to hedgehogs nestling outside. We hope this advice from the RSPCA will enable people to enjoy the festivities while keeping their pets safe!”