The chairperson of the Icelandic Veterinary Association (DÍ) has some advice on how to make New Year’s Eve more comfortable for your pets.
RÚV reports that it is common for people to give their pets some kind of tranquiliser, and then leave their pets at home while they go out to party on New Year’s Eve. Guðbjörg Þorvarðardóttir, the chairperson of DÍ, strongly advises against this practice.
“It seems to be pretty widespread to just give [pets] a tranquiliser,” she said. “We are completely against this as a general rule. It’s actually only in very difficult circumstances that they’re needed.”
Guðbjörg advises rather that people get their animals used to the lights and the noise, but also to try and make things comfortable at home for them. Closing the curtains and putting on relaxing music, for example, can help reduce stress in pets as fireworks are going off.
However you enjoy your New Year’s Eve with your pet, have in mind that they are often times much more sensitive to the lights and explosions of fireworks than humans are. Transquilisers, Guðbjörg says, should always be the last resort.
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