Editor,

As most of your readers know, this year has been one of the hardest in recent memory.

The pandemic has taken us away from our usual celebrations, prevented us from seeing and spending time with our loved ones and left us feeling overwhelmed at the best of times.

While a lot of us have found comfort by opening our homes to a new pet during the recent months, I want to ask your readers to now be the ones to provide comfort to your pets during what can be a very frightening and confusing night.

Animals can find the loud sounds and brightness of fireworks during Bonfire Night incredibly distressing, but luckily, there are steps that owners can take to help their pets feel as safe and relaxed as possible.

One of the best ways to reduce anxiety in dogs during this time is to build them a doggy den, which provides them with their own space in a quiet part of the house where they can retreat with their favourite blankets and toys if they feel overwhelmed.

For cats, I recommend keeping them indoors after dark and creating the same calming space out of a cardboard box and some blankets, which could be placed high up on a sturdy shelf where cats feel the safest.

Another way to keep pets calm is to provide a distraction with some entertainment. Stock up on some new toys that you can give them on the night, which would focus their attention elsewhere and hopefully encourage a positive association with the commotion outside.

Similarly, both dogs and cats will benefit from having music or TV playing constantly, and slightly louder than normal, to balance the sudden bangs of the fireworks.

As a safety precaution, make sure your windows and doors are closed during the celebrations, as your pets may react to the stress by attempting to run away.

Taking your dog on a long walk during the day helps ensure that you won’t be outside when the festivities begin, and your dog will also be more likely to sleep through the most stressful parts of the night.

Lastly, seeing your pets become anxious and frightened may cause you to become upset yourself, but you should try to remain as calm as possible. Your pets are more likely to feel settled if you are.

Bonfire Night this year will be quite different for most of us.

While we don’t anticipate any large gatherings and public displays, there will no doubt be smaller firework displays in our streets and neighbouring gardens.

With this in mind, while I wouldn’t want to ask anyone to forgo their celebrations, I ask that you remember to stay safe yourselves and keep an eye on your furry friends. If they are distressed to the point of concern, give your vet a call so they can advise on the next steps.

John Burns, veterinary surgeon and founder of Burns Pet Nutrition.

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