PETA Offers Tips To Keep Cats And Dogs Safe This Bonfire Night

For Immediate Release:
4 November 2010

Contact:
Sandra Smiley 020 7357 9229, ext 229; [email protected]

To dogs, cats and other animals, Bonfire Night might seem more like War of the Worlds than a traditional celebration. Noisy fireworks displays are frightening to animals, who don’t realise that the explosions are meant to be entertainment.

This year, a planned strike by London firefighters during Guy Fawkes Night festivities threatens to make the celebration even more dangerous – for both party-goers and their pets.

After fireworks displays, animal shelters nationwide see an increase in reports of lost companion animals. The RSPCA has reported a sharp increase in calls to their national control centre in recent years and found that up to 45 per cent of dogs in the UK exhibit fearful behaviour when they hear fireworks – meaning that up to 3 million dogs could be affected by this year’s celebration. Many dogs panic and jump over fences, and others even jump through plate-glass windows to get away from the terrifying sounds. Lucky animals are reunited with their families, but others are never found, and some suffer serious injuries or even die in an attempt to escape the noise. Many cats, dogs and other animals are taken to animal shelters with bloody paws from running, torn skin from breaking through wooden fences or other serious injuries when they dash into the road and are hit by cars.

PETA encourages everyone to take the following precautions to ensure the comfort and safety of their animal companions:

– Keep cats and dogs inside during bonfires and fireworks displays, and if possible, stay with them.
– Leave your animals at home during the celebrations; never take them with you to watch fireworks displays.
– Never leave animals tethered or chained outside – they can hang themselves if they leap over a fence while trying to run from the noise.
– Close your windows and curtains. Turn on the TV or a radio which is tuned to a classical music station to help drown out the sound of the fireworks.
– Make sure that your animal companion is wearing a collar or harness with an up-to-date identification tag – just in case.

For more information on what you can do to help animals, please visit PETA.org.uk.