How to ensure your pet’s safety this coming New Year’s Eve

FIREWORKS and loud noises are part of New Year’s tradition. And while fireworks don’t necessarily affect us, they take a toll on our furbabies, causing them to be spooked out. 

For most Filipinos, our pets or furbabies became our companions. Aside from providing a lively role and companionship within our household, they also became an additional member of each household. 

Some would even consider them more than pets and treat them as kids. 

While we busy ourselves with the New Year’s countdown and Media Noche, here are some ways on how we can ensure the safety of our furbabies this coming New Year’s Eve.   

Create a safe-space for your furbabies

Loud noises at the stroke of midnight is our traditional yet superstitious way of scaring the evil spirits and bad omens away. 

While it is something that we believe to have a good effect on us, it does not go the same way for our furbabies. 

Loud noises deeply disturb pets due to their more sensitive hearing. 

If loud noises is something that annoys and hurt your ears, animals tend to hear it twice louder so it is important to create a safe space for them. 

You can take them in a soundproofed space with calming music or white noise. Anxiety wraps and pheromone diffusers can also keep them calm down. 

Keep in mind that it is also important to introduce them on this space early on (especially when you’re having guests over) so that they’ll already be familiar with the space. 

Be extra mindful of outdoor walks

Some people tend to test out their fireworks even before the stroke of midnight and in addition to these, there are also some who would test out their torotots. 

With these noises, it tends to disturb the peace of pets and with a loud sudden noise comes to spook them out–triggering their instinct to run away. 

Fireworks also contain gun powder that is lethal to both humans and animals. 

When walking them outside, keep your pets on a leash to keep them from running away or ingesting foreign substances. It is also important to have your name, phone number, or address indicated on your pet’s collar. 

If you want to keep them extra safe, you can also attach GPS that can be linked on your phone. 

Be vigilant on what they eat

New Year’s Eve comes with festive meals which includes holiday treats such as sweets and fatty foods. 

Pets consuming traditional Filipino holiday foods such as lechon can trigger digestive issues. Meanwhile foods like chocolate, and foods cooked with onion and garlic can lead to poisoning. 

In order to make them feel included, you can make a pet-friendly meal that they can consume. 

Keep wires and dangerous decorations out of reach

Pets can be stubborn, so, you will have to remind them twice (or thrice) about the things they cannot do in order to keep them safe from choking or electrocution or other mishaps.

Some holiday ornaments and wires can sometimes be too shiny or beautiful to resist for our pets and there’s a high chance that if we aren’t looking, they would go after them. 

While we cannot keep on reminding them about the dangers of it, what we can do is to keep these decorations and wires out of their reach.

Don’t leave them behind

If you’re planning to leave for the New Year’s Eve, keep your furbabies in mind and bring them with you especially if you’ll be away for days.

Leaving them food or in a safe place might seem enough but having a companion in times like the New Year’s Eve is very important to them. 

If you’re not able to bring them around on your trip, have someone to watch them for you. Pet hotels are also an option.