It’s no coincidence that, together with karmimypsiaki.pl, we launched the “Helping by Searching” campaign. The bang of exploding fireworks is hugely stressful for animals, partly because of their sensitive hearing. Every year, thousands of frightened dogs go missing this way! Sadly, some of them are never found. So this is a time when you need to take particular care of your pets’ safety. A safe New Year’s Eve with your dog? We’ll show you how!
Is your pet terrified of firecrackers and fireworks, so that a calm New Year’s Eve with your dog sounds like an oxymoron? Bear in mind that dogs have far more sensitive hearing – they can also identify the source of a sound from four times further away than a human. The bang of some firecrackers exceeds our pain threshold – imagine what it must be like for a creature whose sense of hearing is even more acute. 
How do you make sure you have a calm New Year’s Eve with your dog? We have 4 tips for you.
1. Plan a long walk during the day
Try to avoid the hours when the fireworks are at their most intense. If your dog hears a bang during a walk, it may slip its leash and run off. Prepare for that possibility too: in addition to an ID tag with your phone number, attach a notiOne GPS PET tracker to the collar. With it, you can check in the free app where your dog was last “seen”. Ideally, plan a longer walk during the day so your furry friend gets a proper run and is calmer in the evening.
2. Don’t comfort your dog
When you comfort your dog by stroking or cuddling it, the dog takes this as confirmation of its fears. The same happens when you get too worked up about its reactions. Remember that dogs have not only a keen sense of hearing but also a keen sense of smell – so when they sense that you’re stressed (sweating more than usual, a faster pulse, and so on), they start to feel anxious too. So it’s best to behave normally – at midnight pour yourself a glass of champagne, raise a toast with your friends, and leave the dog in peace.
3. Don’t chase your dog out of its hiding places
For your four-legged friend, a calm New Year’s Eve is above all about feeling comfortable. If your dog hides, say, in a wardrobe or under the table – don’t chase it out. It means that’s where it feels safest.
4. Keep your dog busy with exercises at midnight
In many ways, dogs are like children. Sometimes all it takes is a distraction for them to stop experiencing their emotions so intensely. If you’re spending New Year’s Eve at home with your dog, give it your time and keep it busy with training or play. Close the windows and draw the curtains so that nothing distracts your pet.
Don’t own a dog? You can help too!
Join the Helping by Searching campaign – install the free notiOne app and create an account. By doing so, you expand the network of phones picking up the signal from trackers on dogs’ collars, giving more of them a chance of a safe return home. What’s more, every account created in the app means a donation towards food for dogs in shelters.
Tell your friends, family and loved ones about the campaign – helping costs nothing!
