KALEE - Canine Wellbeing & Education

11/11/2025

💜. Purple Poppy Remembrance – 11/11

Today we pause not only for the men and women who gave their lives, but also for the animals who served alongside them. Horses, dogs, pigeons, cats and countless others carried burdens, delivered messages, offered protection, and gave comfort.

They had no choice.
They also served.
They deserve to be remembered.

On this day of reflection, the purple poppy reminds us that their sacrifice was silent, but no less profound. May we honour them with gratitude, compassion, and a promise to protect those who cannot choose.

Lest we forget the animals too 💜🐾💜

🫶💜🫶

08/11/2025

*** Update 4pm 09th Nov - Thanks to everyone for sending me your video clips - I can only pray that the explosions calm down now.

I've almost completed the presentation and will send off to relevant people along with my detailed documentation letter. If you wish to see this letter please send me a message.

It is a shame that I don't have more time to collate more videos and in-depth info. But I've done what I can and what I am capable of - I am sure there are people (on my friends list) that could create a dramatic presentation in no time - but I'm self taught and not techno friendly lol.

I will also record a shortish PowerPoint presentation of what I've put together and post it here - tomorrow if I have time.

🫶🐾🫶🐾🫶🐾🫶🐾🫶🐾🫶❤️❤️❤️

Hi Everyone, it's like Nov 05th again!

I need your help...

Please can you send me your short video clips of your animals in distress (Wales only please). I will collate a presentation and send it to our MP.

Can you send direct to me please by messenger.

Please include:-

Area
Date
Time

Behaviour

🫶🐾🫶

I do need to do this quick - it needs to be with them my 12th Nov.

Please let's do this together!!

Pics will do if you haven't videos.

07/11/2025

Myth Busting 🫶

Myth: Dogs should “just get used to noise and be forced to be in close proximity of said fear.”

Truth: Comfort builds confidence, forcing fear only breaks trust ❣️ Fear is not a behaviour.

05/11/2025

How can we help our dogs to "empty their bucket", to decompress and calm down the following days after bonfire night❓

After the Bang: Supporting Your Dog to Decompress ❣️

Fireworks will soon be over (we hope), but for many dogs, the stress doesn’t vanish. Decompression is the quiet, crucial phase that follows a high-stress event. It’s about helping your dog’s nervous system settle, their emotional “bucket” gently empty, and their sense of safety return.

🪣 I often use the bucket analogy: every bang, flash, or sudden movement adds a splash of stress. When the bucket overflows, we see trembling, hiding, barking, or shutdown. Decompression is the process of tipping that bucket out slowly, safely with TLC.

Because stress lingers. Even if your dog seems “fine,” they may still be hyper alert, sensitive, or withdrawn. Decompression gives their body and mind a chance to reset, so they can rest, reconnect, and feel safe again.

You may ask how long does it take?

It really depends. Some dogs bounce back in hours. Others especially those with trauma or noise sensitivity, or pain might need days or even a full week (perhaps a little longer - if their bucket doesn't empty much). It is important to be mindful that there’s no rush.

And it’s also important to remember: behaviour can shift during decompression.

Dogs who are usually calm and non-aggressive might snap or growl if pushed too soon. Unpredictability is part of the stress response. It’s not “bad behaviour” it’s a sign that your dog’s bucket is still full. Give them space, soften expectations, and let safety rebuild slowly.

🫶 Here’s how I support decompression at home:

1. Create a quiet, cosy space with familiar scents and soft lighting.
2. Sometimes I skip the walk. Rest is healing. Instead, I bring the outdoors in: leaves, pinecones, moss for gentle sniffing and sensory grounding.
3. I offer a licky mat with soft, soothing foods like mashed sweet potato, goat’s yoghurt, or botanical-infused purees. Licking is deeply calming, it activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
4. I set up a self-selection station with calming hydrosols (lavender, chamomile), grounding herbs (valerian, linden, lemon balm), or gentle flower essences (aspen, mimulus or / and rock rose).
5. I offer slow, intuitive massage. Long gentle strokes along the spine, gentle circular ear rubs, soft pressure over the shoulders and heart space.
6. I keep soundscapes soft with gentle music (anything in the key of G - The Eagles, or brown noise (waterfalls , rain) helps buffer residual triggers.
7. I stick to predictable routines and low-demand environments.
8. Most importantly, I let my dog lead. If they want closeness, I offer it. If they need space, I honour it.

Decompression is a compassionate pause and a way of saying, “I see you. I’m here. You’re safe now.”

What do you do to help your dog decompress after an event?

04/11/2025

Me again - my brain is working overtime today!

Here is something that's been plaguing my mind for a while - it's in relation to fireworks and animal welfare.

👇

Despite the Five Freedoms and the Animal Welfare Act 2006, animals distressed or harmed by fireworks rarely receive legal protection. This is because current UK law does not classify firework exposure as prosecutable suffering!!

Here’s a breakdown of why these frameworks sadly don’t hold up in court when it comes to firework-related distress:

1. Firework distress isn’t explicitly covered by the Animal Welfare Act

🐾 The Animal Welfare Act 2006 focuses on unnecessary suffering and failure to meet welfare needs.
🐾 However, fireworks are legal, and distress caused by them is considered an indirect consequence of lawful activity not deliberate harm. This is imo pathetic - as people do know the harm they cause.
🐾 A 2024 review by Redwings Horse Sanctuary concluded that the Act offers no legal protection for animals against death, injury, illness, or distress caused by fireworks!!!

2. Enforcement relies on proving causation and severity

👉 To prosecute, authorities must show:
🐾 That the animal suffered unnecessarily
🐾 That the keeper failed to take reasonable steps to prevent it 👇

But firework distress is often:
🐾 Acute but transient (e.g. shaking, hiding)
🐾 Hard to document unless it leads to injury or death
🐾 Difficult to link directly to owner negligence, especially if fireworks were external

3. Emotional wellbeing is not yet a legal standard

👉 The Five Domains model includes mental state and emotional distress, but UK law still prioritises physical suffering - even though they recognise certain animals as sentient beings!

🐾 Fear, panic, and behavioural suppression are not prosecutable unless they result in measurable harm - how can we measure this?

🧨 4. Firework regulation prioritises human safety, not animal welfare

🔥 Fireworks are regulated under the Fireworks Act 2003 and Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015, which focus on:

🧨 Sale and use restrictions
🧨 Noise thresholds (but not animal impact). This needs to change!
🧨 There is no legal requirement to consider animal welfare when setting off fireworks, even near livestock or pets - unbelievable!!! No wonder people get away with holding displays on animal rescue farms!

🐾 5. The Five Freedoms are ethical, not enforceable 👇

🐾 They guide best practice but are not legal rights.
🐾 Even though distress from fireworks clearly violates:

A, Freedom from fear and distress
B, Freedom to express normal behaviour

😔 These freedoms are not actionable unless paired with clear evidence of suffering and owner negligence

So....

What could change?

1. Policy reform to embed emotional wellbeing into legal standards
2. Noise limit legislation that considers animal thresholds - 70 dB.
3. Mandatory notification zones for firework events near animals
4. Public education to encourage proactive care (e.g. soundproofing, calming aids)

I'd value your thoughts please ?🫶❤️

04/11/2025

Hi everyone, I've been searching the categories of fireworks - I have put my findings into a readable blog.

Understanding Firework Categories (F1–F4) and Why Lower Decibels Matter 👇

As the sparkle of fireworks lights up the sky, it’s easy to forget the impact they can have on animals, vulnerable people, and the environment

🎇 Firework Categories Explained

Fireworks in the UK are classified into four main categories under the Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015:

🧨Category F1: Very low hazard and negligible noise. These are suitable for indoor or confined spaces - think sparklers, ice fountains, and party poppers. Typical decibel level: under 90 dB.

🧨 Category F2: Low hazard and low noise, designed for outdoor use in small gardens. Minimum spectator distance: 8 metres. Typical decibel level: up to 120 dB.

🧨 Category F3: Medium hazard, for large open spaces with a minimum 25-metre safety distance. These are louder and more powerful. Typical decibel level: up to 120 dB.

🧨 Category F4: High hazard, for professional use only. These are not available to the public and can include extremely loud and complex displays. Typical decibel level: often exceeds 120 dB.

While F1 fireworks are relatively quiet, F2–F4 can reach noise levels comparable to a jet engine or chainsaw. 120 dB is enough to cause pain or hearing damage. And we all know how sensitive a dog's hearing is.

I'm all for reducing the decibels to 70 dB (personally I'd prefer a ban).

🐾 Why 70 dB Matters 🐾

For dogs, wildlife, and many people with sensory sensitivities (like myself), the sudden, high-pitched explosions of fireworks can be deeply distressing. Reducing the legal noise limit to 70 dB, which is about the level of a vacuum cleaner would still allow for visual celebration without the trauma.

Even a reduction to 90 dB would be a meaningful step. For animals, that’s the difference between panic and mild to moderate alertness.

🙏 Please support the Petition for Quieter Fireworks

The brilliant team at The Firework Campaign is currently gathering signatures to urge the UK government to legislate a maximum noise limit of 90 dB for all consumer fireworks. This would align with growing public concern and protect pets, wildlife, and vulnerable people from unnecessary distress.

Why This Petition Matters 🫶

Fireworks are currently allowed to reach up to 120 decibels, which is equivalent to a jet engine or chainsaw. This level of noise can cause:

😔 Severe distress in dogs, cats, horses, and wildlife
😔Sleep disruption and anxiety in children and neurodivergent individuals
😔 Flashbacks and trauma responses in military veterans

The petition, hosted on the UK Government and Parliament website, argues that lowering the legal limit to 90 dB would still allow for celebration while reducing harm. It cites:

😔 Over 50% of dog owners report firework-related anxiety in their pets
😔 An 81% increase in missing dogs around Bonfire Night
😔 Nearly 25% of veterans say fireworks have caused negative experiences

In reality these figures are much higher.

The campaign is backed by animal welfare organisations including the RSPCA and Redwings Horse Sanctuary, and has received support from public figures like Stephen Fry and Kate Ford.

This petition will be discussed/debated in Parliament 12th Nov - but please keep signing and sharing❣️

👉 Sign the petition here.

Reduce the maximum noise level for consumer fireworks from 120 to 90 decibels - Petitions

We think each year, individuals suffer because of loud fireworks. We believe horses, dogs, cats, livestock and wildlife can be terrified by noisy fireworks and many people find them intolerable.

04/11/2025

Hello fans and followers,

Let's talk about fear.

Fear is not a behaviour. It’s an emotional state that drives behaviour. In dogs, especially around fireworks, this distinction matters.

❣️ Fear Isn’t a Behaviour. It’s a Response❣️

When we talk about fear in dogs, especially around fireworks, it’s vital to understand that fear itself isn’t a behaviour. It’s an internal emotional state, a survival response to perceived threat. What we see are the behaviours that fear drives: trembling, hiding, barking, pacing, agitation, restlessness, self harm, overgrooming, or even aggression. These aren’t the fear, they are the dog’s way of coping with it and what we see.

FEAR Can’t Be “Trained Out”

Fireworks combine unpredictable noise, flashing lights, and what is often overlooked the acrid smell of smoke and explosives. For dogs, whose strongest sense is smell, this can be overwhelming. If a dog associates fireworks with pain, illness, trauma, or even a sudden environmental change, the fear can become deeply rooted. Training alone can’t erase this. You can’t reward a dog out of panic, nor punish them into calm. In fact, trying to “correct” fear-based behaviours often worsens the distress! Any trainer that offers a quick fix - please run a mile!

It takes time and trust.

Supporting a fearful dog is a slow, intuitive process. It begins with ascertaining the root cause:

🐾 Is the fear linked to pain or illness?
🐾 Could it stem from past trauma, loss, or age-related changes?
🐾 Has there been a shift in environment, routine, or social dynamics?
🐾 Is it the smell, the vibrations rather than just the noise?
🐾 Are you making the fear worse?

Once we understand the “why,” we can begin to gently rebuild safety. This might involve:

🐾Creating quiet areas
🐾 Temporary increasing pain meds, or a pain trial
🐾Using botanicals via Self-Selection
🐾 Offering predictable routines
🐾Allowing the dog to choose how close they get to the trigger
🐾 Plus a lot more depending on the dog and the cause.

Remember not one size fits all so to speak - what works for one dog may not work for another.

🫶

Fear isn’t disobedience, it's vulnerability. By reframing fear as an emotional state, not a behaviour to fix, we open the door to deeper compassion, understanding, and more effective and appropriate support.

Comfort and Trust, Not Compliance and Obedience

For dogs like those supported by myself comfort-led care means honouring the dog’s emotional reality.

Please reach out to me 🫶

01/11/2025

Thank you Clare Julia from Walkies 🫶❤️🐾

New workshops coming next year including my Paws and Relax canine massage workshop!

29/10/2025

I must say this Award Winning Honey is absolutely beautiful, and personally I have never tasted better!

Thank you Elyssa Farm Therapies !

Honey Bee Gold 🍯🐝👌🫶

The pic really doesn't do it justice!! 💛 It's a beautiful gold colour, so smooth and not too sweet - just perfect!

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BqXfS3WDA/