Friday, December 28, 2012

Keeping Animals Safe And Stress Free On New Year's Eve

Many animals get extremely stressed from the sounds of fireworks.

New Year´s Eve and the celebrations of the New Year are approaching and with it, all the fireworks that are it´s integral annual part.

But before you get into all the planning of your celebrations, let´s stop and think for a moment.

Each year, numbers of animals get scared and shocked by fireworks, they turn lose in panic, slip out of their collars, escape and many of them get hit by cars, trains or are never heard of again.
If you don´t have animals and you are planning to make a big firework show for the New Year, please consider finding a place for it, where as little amount of animals will be disturbed. You may even save a life.

This poor fella got lucky in the end - he didn´t lose his eye, ear, nose or life, after being hit by a firecracker.
Since you are reading my blog, you are most likely an animal lover and/or owner. So what to do to make this New Year´s Eve as stress free and safe as possible for them?

Here are a few thoughts and tips:

1. If you can at all, try to spend the time when most fireworks are going on, with your animals somewhere far from it, such as a weekend house, your family´s country home, or what about renting a cabin in the woods, in more remote area and less people? Your dog would love the walks and time with you in the nature and you could have a quiet, yet wonderful New Year´s celebration in rugged, cozy style.

2. If you can´t avoid staying with your pets away from the fireworks, be with them at all times, especially with those who have tendencies to panic more, who are more sensitive.

3. Do not take your dog for a walk during the highest fireworks activity. Take them for a nice long walk, bike ride, cross country ski trip or a training session during the day, which will make them content and tired. They will want to rest more and have lower need for activity later in the day or the next morning. Take them for their last pee for the day earlier in the evening. Try to avoid walking them outside during fireworks, because that is the time when most dogs panic, slip out of their collars and run away in fear. That is the time when most accidents happen. Be responsible and do all you can to prevent this.
Playing with your pets, stimulating them mentally and physically during the day or evening will make them focused on the fun stuff with you. Games with clicker work wonderfully as they stimulate the animal mentally and make them tired and relaxed too.

4. But what if your pet is so sensitive to gun shots and loud noises, and isn´t able to play and focus on you, as the fear is too deep? There is a highly effective, natural help available, in the form of drops you can put into your pet´s water during the entire day and on his tongue just as the night approaches.

I personally can´t imagine not having Bach Flower Remedies for my dogs and ourselves availalbe at home at any time. And especially the RESCUE REMEDY. In fact, Bach´s Rescue Remedy is an integral part of our first aid kit. I never leave the house without it, being it for a training run with my dog team, for a hike in the woods, going for vacation, or just going to town to run errands.
It is so handy to have for so many occasions – car accidents, headaches, sudden loss of energy, heat stroke, stress from an upcoming meeting, exam you are about to take, car sickness, fear of flying, simply any situation that can make you or your animals stressed, scared, or even shocked.

Rescue Remedy has helped pets in panic during the New Year´s fireworks on many occassions. Thankfully, more and more vets start to recommend or even sell them, but unfortunately, still many pet owners don´t know about them.

The Rescue Remedy consists of five of the original Bach Flower Remedies: Star of Bethlehem, Cherry Plum, Rock Rose, Clematis and Impatiens.

Bach Flower Remedies have no side effects and are safe for animals of all ages, sizes, pregnant females and dogs with various allergies.

How to apply the Rescue Remedy:

Reaction to Rescue Remedy is usually immediate, but in situations with great shock, stress or fear, it is recommended to administer it repetitively.
In  case of the New Year´s fireworks, apply them already some time before and continue during the fireworks, every couple of hours, if necessary.

You can put 4 drops into your pet´s water dish, so he or she can drink it throughout the day, or you can put them directly on their tongue, or into their food. For larger animals, for example horses, increase the amount to 10 drops into watering bucket or food.
You can also drip them on the animal´s skin – nose, ears, rub it into their feet or as mentioned above, on their tongue.

So here is hoping that if you are reading this post, you might have found an effective, completely natural and side effect free help and solution for your pet´s fear of fireworks.

Many health shops carry Bach Flower Remedies, but you can also order them online.
One way is to buy them on Amazon, where shipping is fast and inexpensive.


Please share this post or picture above for others to learn how they can help their pets have a safe and stress free New Year´s Eve.

Wishing you and your animals a safe New Year´s Eve and a Happy New Year full of health, love, joy and success.

Love

No comments: