New Year's Eve is one of the biggest celebrations of the year, enjoyed by everyone and lasting all evening, sometimes into the early hours! We should enjoy ourselves, reminisce with friends and look forward to what next year will bring but we must not forget to spare a few minutes in advance to ensure our pets will not be adversely affected during the night's excitement.

Much of the stress experienced by pets on New Year will be centred around fireworks, with the majority of animals suffering from some degree of noise phobia. For advice on preparing your pet for fireworks, you can read our Firework's blog post or our more detailed Knowledge Base article. The most important thing to remember is that when night falls and fireworks begin, your pets should be kept inside during displays but just in case they get out, they should be microchipped and wear an ID tag.

So aside from this, what else could possibly upset our pets?

We have all heard of the importance of socialising our pets from a young age, and during house parties and dinners, they will suddenly encounter numerous new faces which may present a problem for an animal who has not been prepared for this earlier on.

Pay attention to children in particular and never let them pester your pets, especially if they are showing signs of stress. Allow your pets to approach children themselves, and then the children can stroke them calmly and gently. Inform any parents planning on bringing children on how you would like their children to act with your animals and be vigilant.

Even the most boisterous dog can become overwhelmed at a party, so do make sure they have a quiet room they feel happy in where they can retreat to. Dogs tend to prefer either a basket or crate, or even a table to relax under while cats usually feel safest up high. Wherever your pet prefers, make this their safe place for the night.

An acute sense of hearing makes celebrations potentially unpleasant for pets, even if they are used to a certain level at home. During the evening try to monitor your pet's mood and take them into their quiet room if they haven't already retreated there.

Key points to be aware of:

  • Popping Champagne bottles
  • Toasts
  • Loud music
  • Singing and dancing
  • 'The Countdown'
  • Fireworks

Finally, be aware of 'A tiny bit won't hurt, will it?'

Party food should generally be off your dog or cat's menu but many guests will take one look at 'their little face' and slip them a tasty morsel! Too many of these can lead to stomach upsets and a few extras to clear up, so try to prevent any scraps going to pets. Be extra careful if you know your pet has allergies, diabetes or other conditions whereby their diet is restricted to ensure their health. For more information on foods to avoid during the festive season, you can read our blog post 'Foods to avoid feeding your pets this christmas'- it applies all year round too!

Do feel free to contact us for any advice or visit our calming products blog for our recommended products and help to keep your pets relaxed during festivities!

We hope you all have a great New Year!

Written by: Danielle