How to Keep Your Pets Calm on Bonfire Night and Through Fireworks Season

Bonfire Night, Diwali and New Year's Eve can be a frightening time for pets. Fireworks can be as loud as 120 to 175 decibels, and dogs and cats hear far more sharply than we do, so a few bangs that make us jump can feel terrifying to them. The good news is that a bit of planning goes a long way. Here's how to help keep dogs, cats, small animals and birds calmer through fireworks season, plus the calming products we stock and how to get the most out of them.

When are fireworks allowed in the UK?

By law, fireworks can't be set off between 11pm and 7am, except on Bonfire Night (when the cut-off is midnight) and on New Year's Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year (when it's 1am). In practice, though, fireworks often start days before and carry on for days after, so it's worth getting ready early.

Start preparing a week or two before

• Make a safe den. Pick a quiet room and set up a cosy hiding spot with their bed, a blanket over the top and a favourite toy. Let them get used to it before the big nights.
• Start daily calming supplements early. Products you add to food every day generally work best when they've had time to build up, so starting a week or two ahead is a good idea.
• Check microchip details are up to date. Frightened pets can bolt. Microchipping is a legal requirement for dogs and for cats over 20 weeks old in England.
• Bring outdoor pets in. If you can, move rabbit and guinea pig hutches into a quiet room, shed or garage for the season.

On the night

• Walk dogs in daylight and keep cats in once it gets dark.
• Close windows and curtains to muffle the noise and block the flashes.
• Put the telly or radio on to help mask the bangs.
• Let them hide. If your pet wants to hide under the bed or pace about, let them. Don't try to coax them out.
• Stay calm and act normally. Pets pick up on our mood. Never tell a frightened pet off.
• Don't leave them alone if you can avoid it, and never take a dog to a fireworks display.

Calming products for dogs and cats

Calming supplements aren't sedatives. They help support your pet's natural ability to relax, so they work best alongside the steps above rather than instead of them. These are the ones we stock:

• Johnson's Calm-eze Tablets for dogs and cats. Our shop floor tip: timing is everything. Give the tablet 60 to 90 minutes before the fireworks are due to start, not once they've begun. For a big night, starting a day or two in advance can help even more.
• VETIQ Serene Calming Tablets for cats and dogs, made with L-tryptophan, taurine and B vitamins, with no sedative effect. Available in packs of 30 or 120, so the bigger pack covers you through to New Year.
• Bugalugs Calming Powder for dogs and cats. Simply sprinkle it on their food every day, which makes it an easy one to start early in the season.
• VETIQ Serene Calming Ointment for dogs. Applied to the nose, it releases a calming pheromone and starts working within about 20 minutes, so it's handy for sudden bangs you weren't expecting.

Always follow the dosing guide on the pack for your pet's weight, and check with your vet first if your pet is on any medication or has a health condition.

Rabbits, guinea pigs and other small pets

Small animals are easily frightened, and the stress can make them seriously unwell. To help them through:

• Bring hutches indoors if possible. If not, turn them to face a wall and cover them with a thick blanket or old duvet, leaving a gap for fresh air.
• Give plenty of extra hay and bedding so they can burrow down and hide.
• Keep bonded pairs together, as they comfort each other.
• Keep an eye on their eating the next day. A rabbit or guinea pig that stops eating needs a vet promptly.

Our VETIQ Healthy Bites Serene Calming treats are made with chamomile and ginger to help support a calm temperament, and they're a nice way to reassure your small pets during fireworks season.

Budgies, parrots and aviary birds

Birds can panic and thrash around the cage when fireworks go off, which can lead to injuries. To help:

• Keep indoor birds in a room away from windows, with the curtains closed to block the flashes.
• Gentle background music or the radio can help mask the bangs.
• Only cover the cage if it's part of your bird's normal bedtime routine. Some keepers also find a dim night light stops birds panicking in the dark.
• For aviary birds, encourage them into the sheltered section and partly cover the aviary with a thick blanket to muffle the noise, keeping it well ventilated.
• The next morning, check the aviary roof and garden for any spent fireworks.

Reptiles and tortoises

Keep vivariums away from windows and draw the curtains. If you have a tortoise that's outside or hibernating in the garden, check bonfires and log piles before lighting them, as tortoises and wildlife love to burrow into them.

When to speak to your vet

If your pet becomes extremely distressed, injures itself, or is still off its food or not itself a day or two later, speak to your vet. For pets that are badly affected every year, your vet can also refer you to a qualified animal behaviourist, who can help with longer-term training to make the noise less scary.

Frequently asked questions

How early should I start calming supplements before Bonfire Night?

For daily supplements like calming powders and tablets, a week or two ahead is ideal. For tablets like Calm-eze, give the dose 60 to 90 minutes before the fireworks are expected.

Will calming tablets sedate my pet?

No. The calming products we stock aren't sedatives. They help support your pet's natural ability to relax, so your pet should still be their normal self.

Can I use the same products on New Year's Eve?

Yes. If your pet struggles on Bonfire Night, it's worth planning ahead for New Year's Eve too. A larger pack can see you through the whole fireworks season.

Should I cover my bird's cage during fireworks?

Only if it's already part of your bird's usual routine. Otherwise, closing the curtains and keeping the room calm is usually better.

Pop in and see us

You can order calming products online, or pop into the shop at 125-127 Corporation Road, Grimsby, and have a chat with us about what might suit your pet. We're always happy to help.

This article is general guidance and isn't a substitute for advice from your vet. If you're worried about your pet, please speak to your vet.