Pop, Bam, Boom: Keeping Pets Safe and Calm on New Year’s Eve

The countdown is on! Champagne and confetti are prepped, resolutions penned, and anticipation for the possibilities of the new year fills the air. Festive for us, but for our furry companions, New Year’s Eve can be a terrifying ordeal. Exploding fireworks, loud poppers, and the general buzz of celebration can send even the calmest pet into the “fight-flight-freeze” sequence. With a little planning and these tips, you can help your furballs greet the new year with less stress.

Why is NYE Scary for Pets?

Imagine being bombarded with unpredictable booming sounds and dazzling flashes of light – and even smells – you don’t understand. That’s what pets experience on New Year’s Eve. Fireworks, despite being beautiful to watch, are essentially small explosions that can trigger fear and stress in many animals (and sometimes PTSD in people who have been around gunfire). This can manifest in different ways:

Classic signs of anxiety: Excessive drooling, trembling, panting, whining, hyper alertness, clinginess, restlessness.

Destructive behavior: Pacing, scratching, and even urinating indoors can also be expressions of distress.

Escape attempts: Startled by loud noises, pets may bolt, desperate to flee the perceived danger.

Hiding from the madness: Hiding is one obvious response to a scary situation.

Calm Amidst the Chaos

Here are some steps you can follow to shield your beloved furball from the NYE madness:

Train with Treats: Before the big night, start training your pet to associate the noise with good things. Pair firework sounds played at a low volume with tasty treats to build that positive association with the noise (see graphic by the excellent Lili Chin for more detail on this). Gradually increase the volume over time, always keeping your pet calm and rewarded. (If your pet is drooling, shaking, panting, pacing or showing other stressy behaviors during the training, discontinue and reach out to a certified trainer or a vet.)

Tire Them Out: Before the festivities start, help your pet burn off a lot of energy, making them less likely to pace while fireworks are popping. A good run or long sniff walk for a dog or a very active prey-play session with your cat’s favorite wand toy could do the trick.

Create a Safe Haven: Dedicate a quiet room inside your home, away from windows and noise. Equip it with their favorite toys, comfy bedding, some calming music or brown noise (deep, rumbling sounds that can mask the startling pops of fireworks) and soothing pheromones like Adaptil for dogs or Feliway for cats.

Distractions: Provide extremely high-value treats, which can help pets self-soothe through chewing, licking or sniffing. Try puzzle feeders or treat dispensing toys. A Kong filled with dog yummies and frozen, or a small bowl filled with wet food and treats for cats and frozen can distract a pet for a good 20-30 minutes.

Seek Professional Help: For extremely anxious pets, consult your veterinarian, who can prescribe medication to take the edge off their fear.

Planning for Party Night

Talk to the Neighbors: Kindly request a heads-up on their firework plans. Knowing when the booms are coming allows you to prepare your pet and keep them safely enclosed in their haven.

Skip the Late-Night Walk: Avoid taking your dog outside for potty breaks during firework hours. The unexpected sounds and flashes could trigger a panic-induced escape attempt.

Nix the Party Favors: Keep noisemakers and confetti away from curious paws. Ingested confetti can cause dangerous intestinal blockages in pets.

Alcohol, Food Are Off-Limits: Party snacks and booze are tempting to our furry friends, but they can be toxic or cause severe digestive upset. Keep them safely out of reach.

Older Pet, New Fear?

Even if your pet has weathered past celebrations with aplomb, don’t ignore sudden displays of fear. One explanation is that loud noises can trigger involuntary muscle tensing and jumping, which could exacerbate existing pain in your pet. A 2018 study suggests that new noise anxieties later in life can be a red flag for potential pain issues. If your pet suddenly flinches at booming fireworks or cowers at thunderclaps, a trip to the vet is in order. They can help rule out underlying medical conditions, including those related to pain. (Pain can be difficult to detect in a vet setting due to adrenaline masking symptoms.) In some cases, a short-term pain trial might be recommended to see if it alleviates the noise anxieties.

Conclusion

A little preparation goes a long way in making New Year’s Eve stress-free for your pet. Follow these tips, shower your furry friend with love and attention, and let the fireworks light up the sky without stressing out your furry family companion.