Firework season 2021 — whizzes, flashes and bangs

The recently published PDSA Animal Welfare Report 2021 states that 3% of dogs acquired pre-pandemic are showing new signs of fear and a further 7% are now responding to outdoor-related sounds that they can hear from within their home. In addition, 11% of cats, established within their homes pre-March 2020, are showing new stress-related behaviours. Of the estimated 960 000 dogs that found a home post-March 2020, 15% are already reported to be showing signs of fear, with an extra 18% reported to respond from their homes to stimuli emanating from outdoors.

It was already well accepted that between 40% and 50% of dogs show sensitivity to the sound of fireworks. Figures for cats are less easy to access, as the primary response of the anxious or fearful cat is to hide, hence owners will be less aware of their sound sensitivities. Consequently, from the PAW Report figures (and based on the cases being seen by members of the Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians), it can be assumed that, following the recent periods of a relative reduction in exposure to ‘outdoor’ stimuli, many previously socially and environmentally robust animals have experienced a loss of established competencies; and younger, less environmentally competent animals are more sensitive to fresh exposure to stimuli. This has the potential to markedly increase the proportion of sound sensitive animals that suffer during exposure to firework sounds, from the established approximation of one in two.