Make This New Year a Happy One for Your Pets too!

As we ring in the New Year tonight, check out this tips for making this New Year's celebration a happy one for your pets too!

Many pets do not enjoy and are even very afraid of fireworks and guns being shot. They can also be frightened by having guests in the home. This fear doesn’t just make animals miserable; it can also be a danger. They go into fight or flight mode and are more prone to getting lost.

Here are ways to keep animals happy(ish) and safe on New Year’s Eve:

• Keep pets in a safe, enclosed room, preferably one without windows. If having guests over, consider keeping pets in a room that’s off-limits to guests.

• Surround pets with their favorite toys and familiar objects. Sometimes the smell of an article of clothing from your laundry can help comfort them.

• Keep the room as quiet as possible by playing music and closing the doors, windows, and blinds.

The biggest risk of New Year’s is that pets will get loose and become lost. Even if

a pet is secured inside, the sound of fireworks can cause extreme panic, sometimes causing them to break loose. Make sure pets are microchipped and wearing identification tags.

Animal Care of Gloucester will be closed on Saturday January 1st in observance of New Year's Day. In the event of an emergency, please contact the Animal Emergency Center at 757-234-0461 or Peninsula Animal Referral Center at 757-874-8115.

Happy New Year from all of us at Animal Care of Gloucester!!