Preparing Your Pet for a New Year’s Celebration: Safety Tips and Stress Management
Adobe Animal Hospital & Laser Surgery Center hopes that you and your pets are able to ring in 2025 right—safe and healthy! As you prepare to welcome the new year, please consider New Year’s pet safety pointers to help everyone celebrate at their best:
New Year’s Pet Safety
There are plenty of New Year’s pet hazards that can make things less-than-safe for dogs and cats. When preparing to celebrate, take the time to think about what things might pose a danger to your pet.
When it comes to New Year’s pet safety, be wary of:
- Feeding potentially toxic foods, especially at chaotic celebrations
- Hazardous decor—like candles, wax warmers, and liquid potpourri
- Decorations, like confetti, that could pose a choking hazard
- Stressful situations with a lot of noise and/or strange people
- Don’t force your pet to be a party animal; all pets need a safe, quiet place to relax during gatherings
- Scary fireworks that can be loud and lead to stress and anxiety
- Unsecured trash items
- Hazardous items in the personal belongings of houseguests
- Open doors that could pose an escape hazard
New Year’s Eve Pet Tips
To keep pets safe during New Year’s celebrations, it’s important to have a plan. Our practice recommends being prepared by:
- Creating a secure environment — Noise and commotion can be very stressful for many pets. Create a calming corner by providing a familiar, comfortable crate or bed in a dimly-lit area. Use white noise and pheromones to create a soothing space to help in keeping pets calm during celebrations.
- Asking about medications — If you think fireworks and jubilation are going to be too much for your four-legged family member, contact us to discuss options for mild anti-anxiety options.
- Updating identification — Scared animals and people coming and going can create a perfect environment for a pet to slip out of a door. Be sure that your pet’s identification tag and/or microchip have up-to-date information.
- Looking at things like a pet — Take some time to look at things from a pet’s point of view. That unattended dish of chocolates? A purse on the ground full of sugar-free gum and prescription medications? Be sure to make some adjustments to keep your pet safe.
With some planning and attention to detail, both the pets and people in your life can celebrate safely. We are wishing you a Happy New Year from our family to yours!