New Year’s Eve is supposed to be a day of celebration, but sometimes it’s not always the case, especially when you have to worry about beloved animals being safe.
As a way to help protect your animals, we’ve found some tips and tricks to help protect your pets during New Year’s Eve, courtesy of the Pasadena Humane Society and SPCA.
As you count down to the New Year, please keep in mind that noisy poppers can terrify pets and cause possible damage to their sensitive ears. Many pets are scared of fireworks, so be sure to secure them in a safe, escape-proof area as midnight approaches.
New Year’s Eve parties at this time may not be as large or as crowded as during usual times; nevertheless, remember to leave your pet at home if you’re ever going to one. Pets, especially those that aren’t used to foreign environments, will just want to be home and feel safe. Stay with them, if possible.
If the party is at your place, be sure to limit the number of people, and set aside a “pet zone” in the house which prevents pets from accidentally ingesting dangerous food and alcohol. Within the pet zone, make sure your dog or cat has a safe place to hide; under the bed is fine.
Also, keep them away from windows, from where they can see flashes of light or hear the noise outside. Some pets have been reported to have run outside from windows out of fear during New Year’s celebrations, and have consequently gone missing.
It would also be wise to put up a sign outside your “pet zone” or simply mark it off to keep people from entering and possibly disturbing your pet.
Check to make sure your pet has an updated ID tag. The most difficult situations could arise when tags aren’t up to date and pets get loose. It’s also one of the biggest things owners forget to do when they move, Pasadena Humane said.
Now, what do you do if an animal gets loose?
Chasing pets often makes them run even more. Instead, you’ll want to grab some food and call your animal back to you. Or else, just follow them until you can get them back home.
In a worst-case scenario, contact Pasadena Humane’s animal control officers. Some may be on duty all weekend.
To get in touch with them, call (626) 792-7151.
