Staying relaxed on New Year’s Eve – how to protect your pet from stress

The end of the year is approaching – a time that can be particularly stressful for many dogs and cats. While we humans celebrate the New Year, the noise often means severe stress for many animals.

To help you and your pet get through the festive period as calmly as possible, you will find here how you can prepare your pet and which options we can offer you at the surgery to reduce fear and stress around New Year’s Eve.

For many dogs and cats, New Year’s Eve is unfortunately no fun. Loud bangs, bright flashes and unfamiliar smells can trigger considerable fear. Some animals tremble, pant, hide or try to escape. Some no longer want to go outside for walks. This is not a “quirk” but real stress. For puppies and young cats, the first New Year’s Eve is formative – a bad experience should be avoided as far as possible.

Without support, the fear can even worsen; sometimes it lasts for weeks after the New Year.

Consideration for animals – and people

It is not only animals that suffer from fireworks: children, adults and people with experiences of flight or war also often react very sensitively to loud bangs. Being considerate when setting off fireworks therefore helps both your animals and those around you.

Wild animals, too, panic because of the noise, flee and may injure themselves. Less fireworks also means more protection for the animals outdoors in nature.

You might therefore decide to give up fireworks completely or partly and donate the money you save, for example to animal welfare, environmental or aid organisations.

We help to make New Year’s Eve calmer for you and your pet:

Advice – ideally in good time

Together we will talk about your pet’s history, examine your animal carefully and assess how severe the fear is: mild, moderate or severe.

This way you receive an individual plan tailored precisely to you and your pet.

Habituation and everyday tips – easy to put into practice

• Gradual habituation to noises: with quiet recordings, step by step and always accompanied by something positive.
• Managing things at home: create places of retreat (“safe place”), darken rooms, switch on music or steady background sounds, offer chews or licking options and food games.
• Aids: pheromone diffusers for dogs or cats and – where appropriate – selected nutritional supplements in combination can provide support.

Medical support – only after an examination

• If necessary, we prescribe short-acting, anti-anxiety medication specifically for your dog or cat for New Year’s Eve.
• We explain exactly the correct dose and the best time to give it.
• Important: please do not try your own sedatives! Many only make animals sleepy without taking away the fear – this can even make the situation worse.

Tips for New Year’s Eve
During the day:

• Dogs – a long walk in daylight.
• Cats – please keep them indoors; ideally no outdoor access on the previous day either.

In the evening:

• Close shutters or curtains, switch on lights and music so that the noise is muffled a little.
• Safety: a well-fitting harness, identity tag, and up-to-date microchip details (e.g. with TASSO).
• Food & activity: feed in good time, have a licking mat or chews ready.
• Stay calm: do not punish fear, offer closeness, and reward calm behaviour.
• For cats: prepare a quiet room with litter tray, water, food and cosy resting places (preferably including higher spots); pheromones can provide additional calming.

In the New Year
Observe your pet in the days after the New Year. If the fear remains severe or your animal shows new behaviours, please get in touch – we will be happy to advise you further and discuss how you can help in the long term.

Making an appointment
Give us a call or book an appointment easily online here.