Caring for Pets in Southport and Sefton during Firework Season and Bonfire Night 2023 🧨🎇
Bonfire Night can be a stressful time for you and your pets. The loud noises and bright lights can cause anxiety and fear. We have put together a few tips and key dates to help care for your pets during firework season.
Understanding the signs of anxiety in your pet is crucial. Recognising these signs will enable you to maintain their calmness effectively. Pets, such as dogs or cats, usually exhibit a heightened sense of alertness as an initial response to fear.
It is at this stage that intervention is most beneficial.
If your pet happens to be outside when fireworks begin, the sudden noise and lights may startle them, potentially causing them to panic and run away. This is a distressing situation for any pet owner. One way to mitigate this risk is by ensuring your pet is microchipped.
Microchipping is a simple procedure where a tiny chip, about the size of a grain of rice, is inserted under your pet’s skin. This chip contains a unique identification number. If your pet is lost and then found, this number can be read by a microchip scanner, providing the finder with the information necessary to reunite you with your pet.
In the UK, it’s not just advisable but legally required for all dogs over the age of 8 weeks to be microchipped. This law helps protect dogs by ensuring they can be returned to their owners if lost. While it’s not legally required for cats to be microchipped in the UK, it’s strongly recommended. Cats are known for their curiosity and independence, traits that could lead them astray. Having your cat microchipped gives you peace of mind that they can be identified if they wander off.
So, as firework season approaches, it’s a good time to ensure that your pets are microchipped. It’s a small step that could make a big difference in keeping your beloved pets safe.
If your pets’ paws tend to shake when the fireworks start, please read our following top tips:
Dogs
There are a few signs you can look out for when you’re watching to see whether your dog is feeling anxious at this time of year. Act if you notice anxiety symptoms such as hiding, pacing, panting, yawning, flattened ears or tail down. They may seem restless, distracted, or refuse food.
What to do:
Create a safe haven: Choose a quiet room in your home where your dog feels comfortable. Leave their favourite toys there.
Close windows and curtains to reduce noise and flashing lights.
Play relaxing music. So many studies have proven the relaxing benefits of music for animals.
Stay with your dog if you can: Your presence can help them relax.
Never force your dog outside during fireworks. It can make things so much worse.
Cats
Cats exhibit similar signs of fear when feeling anxious or stressed. They may seek out hiding places or start spitting. Hissing, swatting, biting, and scratching are other common behaviours. You might notice their fur and tail puffing up, their back arching, or their tail swishing. In some cases, they may freeze and not move at all, or they might run away. Their ears may flatten against their head. They could lose control of their bladder or bowels, and they might refuse to use the litter box.
What to do:
Keep Your Cat Indoors After Dark: This reduces the risk of them being frightened and running away.
Create a Safe Space: A cardboard box lined with blankets is perfect. Cats feel safer higher up, so placing the box on a sturdy shelf could prove even better.
Play Music: Cats and loud noises don’t necessarily mix, and keeping a radio or TV on can help if your cat gets scared from the sudden sounds of fireworks.
Use a Pheromone Plug-In: A plug-in diffuser, such as Feliway, can create a calming effect on anxious cats.
Keep Windows and Doors Shut: This helps reduce the sound of fireworks and blocks off cat flaps to stop frightened pets from fleeing.
Leave Internal Doors Open: This ensures they don’t feel penned in. If your cat usually has the freedom to roam your home, don’t change that.
Remember, every cat is unique and may react differently to fireworks. It’s important to observe your cat and respond to their needs accordingly.
Small pets like rabbits, guinea pigs, and birds can also be extremely affected by fireworks. Here are some tips:
Bring hutches/cages indoors or into a garage or shed.
Cover cages with thick blankets or towels to muffle the sound but ensure there is sufficient ventilation.
Out and About
If your pet needs walking or likes to hang out in the fresh air, it is best to restrict this to daylight hours when you know fireworks are likely. Should your only option be to go out in the dark, there are areas of the district that have firework restrictions and dispersal zones in Southport and Sefton. These include:
Southport town centre and seafront
Birkdale
Duke Street Park area of Formby
Please check with your local council or police for other areas. Also check for organised events to know where and when to avoid those areas. Some events in the area are included below:
Liverpool College PTA Fireworks Bonanza on November 10th
Bonfire and Fireworks at Prescot & Odyssey Cricket Club on November 3rd
Day of the Dead Family Fireworks Festival at Southport Pleasureland from November 3rd – 5th
Trinity St Peter’s Community Firework Display at Trinity St Peter’s Primary School, Formby. 2nd November.
Annual Spectacular Fireworks Display, Southport Rugby Football Club 3rd November.
We are seeing the sale of non-noise fireworks becoming increasingly popular, even for organised events such as the low-noise fireworks event by Charnock House farm field events on the 2nd November.
Quiet Walks in Southport and Sefton
If you’re looking for quiet places to walk your dog during firework season, Southport and Sefton offer several options:
Cheshire Lines Path, Southport: This 23.2 km walk follows the track bed of the former Cheshire Lines Railway.
Formby Walks, Formby, Liverpool: Two walking routes around Formby Village, Railway Inn Pub and Freshfields.
The Sefton Coastal Path, Southport: A journey through a variety of landscapes with a rich biodiversity of wildlife and a fascinating history.
Churchtown and Botanic Gardens Walk, Churchtown, Southport: Walk around the historic village of Churchtown and the beautiful Botanic Gardens.
We would love to hear about your favourite walking routes so leave a comment and we will add it to our lists!