31/12/2024
To all our clients, referring vets, family and friends, may you all have a safe and happy New Year. We wish you all the best for 2025!
As we welcome the New Year, it is important to remember that this time of year comes with some scary fireworks for our four-legged pets. For location and times of scheduled fireworks, please visit this link: https://bit.ly/4gC8UyN
Here are some simple measures to plan and ensure your pet's safety and comfort during the celebrations:
• Some Exercise and Dinner: Ensure your pet has had an evening walk or swim and their dinner, a tired and content pet is likely to be more relaxed.
• Normal Routine at Home: If you are staying home, continue your normal routine. Keep a favourite toy or some snacks on hand. Distracting your pet with play and rewarding good behaviour with snacks can help eliminate fear of future loud bangs.
• Avoid Abnormal Fuss: It is important not to make an abnormal fuss, as this could be interpreted as stress from mum/dad, which will amplify your pet's fear response.
• Secure Environment: If you head out for the evening, ensure all gates are securely locked. Consider leaving the radio or TV on to drown out some of the noise.
• Preventing Escape: Note that a frightened pet will likely want to run away from loud bangs. Dogs have been known to dig under fences and charge through windows. Never tether an unsupervised pet, as this can lead to accidental choking.
• Microchip Details: If your pet is microchipped, ensure contact details are up to date and have the chip number on hand in case your pet escapes.
• Safe Spot for Cats: For our feline friends, there is nothing safer than a warm hidey hole. If they already have one, even better. Something as simple as a cardboard box with some towels or blankets can create a dark and quiet safe spot.
• Emergency Veterinary Care: Take time to make a note of closer veterinary hospitals that will be open through the night. The Animal Hospital at Murdoch University may not be your closest vet and every second counts in emergency situations.
By taking these precautions, we can ensure that the holiday season is a safe and happy one for our pets.
From all of us at The Animal Hospital at Murdoch University, Happy New Year!