Pet owners issued an urgent alert as New Year's Eve can spark extreme anxiety in pets

Pet owners are being warned to plan ahead before the year's end as fireworks in the run up to New Year's Eve can start unexpectedly, triggering intense fear in animals at home. Unlike organised displays, fireworks set off on New Year can happen at any time, making them particularly stressful for pets.

Vets say unpredictability is a major factor in why animals struggle, especially on dark winter evenings when sounds travel further and pets are spending more time indoors. A UK vet group described firework season as 'weeks of unexpected loud noises and worry for owners".

An RSPCA submission to the government estimated that 45 per cent of dogs show signs of fear when they hear fireworks. A separate animal welfare briefing, citing a Dogs Trust survey of over 18,000 dog owners, found that nearly 9 per cent reported their dog escaped due to fireworks, almost 13 per cent said their dog attempted to run away, and 2 per cent said their dog was injured during the celebrations.

One loud bang can turn an ordinary evening into a frantic scramble to prevent a pet bolting through a door, slipping through a gate, or hurting themselves while trying to hide.

According to IMSR, in the days leading up to New Year, many pet owners search Google with phrases like "dogs scared of fireworks," "how to calm downs during fireworks," "cat hiding fireworks" and "fireworks phobia vet help."

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