Pets and fireworks
Pets and fireworks aren’t compatible. For every bang there’s a bark, a whimper, and a trembling animal stressed sometimes to the point of injury – or even death. Yet every year, the fireworks return and pet owners scramble to find ways to keep their beloved pets safe during what’s meant to be a season of celebration, yet for animals often brings devastation.
On this page we’ll show you how to keep your cats, dogs and small animals calm and safe amidst all the noise.
The impact of fireworks on pets
Between 2021 to 2024, we received over 14,000 responses to our impact survey, each detailing the impact of fireworks on pets – with many reporting devastatingly fearful reactions.
Whether your pet is occasionally startled by the loud bangs or severely afraid to the point of injury, there are ways you can help ease the effect of fireworks on your pets. Below you’ll find our top tips and advice to keep your pets happy and safe throughout the season.
Remember: Never punish your pets when they're scared. They can’t help their sensitivity to sound or their fear response. Reacting negatively to their reactions will only make things worse in the long run.
For more advice, watch our advice video on pets and fireworks.
Getting help
If you’re concerned about your pet’s reaction to fireworks, seek advice from your vet who can, if necessary, refer you to a professional clinical animal behaviourist.
Fireworks can be petrifying for animals, and witnessing animals so terrified is distressing for their human caregivers. The best advice I can give is to prepare well in advance; desensitisation can make a huge difference to your pets behaviour and wellbeing, it just needs time and effort to see your hard work come to fruition.
Dogs and fireworks
Almost two thirds of dog owners who responded to the 2025 Savanta fireworks poll said that their dog has been negatively affected by fireworks. That’s 60% of dogs in distress.
Fireworks can cause your dog a lot of anxiety and stress, due to the sensitivity of their hearing and the loud, startling noises of the fireworks. Dogs can hear sounds that are four times further away and in much higher frequencies than us, meaning sounds that we are comfortable with may be intolerable for them. Dogs can also suffer from tinnitus, hearing loss and long-term hearing damage caused by fireworks. And sometimes the fear they experience can turn into injury or aggression.
In our 2024 impact survey, many dog owners reported that fireworks caused their dog physical distress.
“My dogs were uncontrollably shaking and panting and vomiting. Running off to hide in the house for hours.” Said one dog owner after a private display, with no prior warning, startled their dogs.
Another dog owner reported: “Our dog is a nervous wreck.”
And another explained that: “My rescue dog was in the garden when the loudest fireworks went off. He was shaking and panting for hours afterwards – I actually thought he was going to have a heart attack. The fireworks have been continuous. My dog won't go into the garden as soon as it starts getting dark. He is anxious, panting and keeps looking nervously at the ceiling like something will land on him. It’s heartbreaking.”
Here’s what you can do as a dog owner to help to keep your dog relaxed:
Before fireworks
- Create a safe space for your dog: Fill it with their favourite toys and other things they love, and with time, dogs can learn that this is a safe place that they can go to when fireworks go off. It's important that your dog has access to this safe haven at all times – even when you're not at home.
- Move your dog to the safe haven each evening before the fireworks begin: Make sure there are things for you to do too, so your dog isn't left alone.
- Close windows and curtains to muffle the sounds: If possible, blackout your dog’s safe haven too, so they can't see any flashes from outside.
- Walk your dog during daylight hours: This helps you avoid times when fireworks are likely to be set off.
- Ask your vet about pheromone diffusers: These disperse calming chemicals into the room and may be a good option for your dog. In some cases, your vet may even prescribe medication.
- Make sure your dog is microchipped: In case they bolt and escape during the commotion (by law, your dog should already be microchipped).
During fireworks
Whilst the fireworks are going off, try to spot the signs of stress in your dog, so you can alleviate them as soon as possible. Here’s how to calm your dog:
Do:
- Put on some music or TV: Or even a pre-made pet playlist of soothing sounds. This will help to mask the firework sounds.
- Play with a toy to see if your dog wants to join in: But don't force them to play.
- Close any windows and black out your dog’s safe area: If you haven’t already, do what you can to block out both the noise and the flashes.
- Keep your environment secure: Make sure your dog can’t escape if there’s a sudden noise.
- Let your dog pace around: If they’re whining, barking or hiding, let them. Don’t try to coax them out, they’re just trying to find safety.
- Act as us usually do: Stay calm and be normal, to show your dog there’s nothing to be scared of. It might be hard if you’re worried about your pet, but try your best.
- Listen to Classic FM’s Pet Classics (our proud pet partners!): They’ll be playing three sessions of soothing classical music to keep your pets calm during the evenings.
Don't:
- Don’t leave your dog alone (if you can help it): Stay nearby so you can help to calm them with your presence.
- Don’t tie your dog up outside: Nor should you leave them in a car or outside a shop during fireworks.
- Don’t shout at your dog if they’re afraid: Instead, be there to comfort them and show them that they’re safe.
- Don’t take your dog to a fireworks display: Even if they seem unbothered by the noise, it doesn’t mean they’re happy about fireworks, either.
After fireworks
In the long term, the best way to keep your dog calm and safe during fireworks season is to help accustom them to loud noises so that next time there are fireworks, they’re less afraid.
You could try to desensitise your dog against fireworks by slowly introducing firework sounds:
- 1 Play fireworks audio
- 2 Increase the volume of the audio incrementally
- 3 Vary the volume throughout the training
- 4 Give them treats after each loud noise
We recommend Sounds Scary, a therapy pack for dogs that includes a specially made set of high-quality sound recordings and an easy-to-follow guide. The amount of training needed will vary from dog to dog, so start training with the Sounds Scary pack well in advance of firework seasons.
You could also ask your vet to refer you to a clinical animal behaviourist to train your dog to better cope with fireworks.
Did you know
More subtle signs that your dog is stressed include excessive panting and yawning.
Staffy escapes after fireworks fright
Luna, a 7-year-old Staffy Cross, scaled a fence and escaped her owner’s garden after being startled by fireworks, and was later hit and killed by a train in her attempt to flee. See the full story.
Cats and fireworks
Cats can be just as scared of fireworks as dogs and other animals. A cat’s hearing is about three times more sensitive than ours, so fireworks to them are much louder and frightening. These startling sounds can cause severe distress in cats.
One cat owner from our 2024 impact survey described the private nearby fireworks display on New Year’s Eve as explosive, enough to make their house vibrate. They went on to explain that they “sounded like the start of World War 3. My elderly cat was petrified, hyperventilating and trying to hide.” The next morning their cat was exhausted and did not eat.
Another cat parent, with multiple cats – one with anxiety that often leads to bladder problems – shared the dramatic impact of a back garden firework display on their cats: “They were stressed, breathing heavily, and we even ended up at the emergency vets from a suspected bladder blockage as a result.”
Here’s how to help keep your cat relaxed throughout the fireworks:
Before fireworks
- Keep your cat indoors (especially after dark): This avoids unnecessary exposure to even louder noises and bright flashing lights, which will reduce their stress levels.
- Create a safe space for your cat: Wherever your cat usually feels safest – high up, inside a box or under the bed, for example – try and make it extra cosy with blankets, toys and treats that your cat loves.
- Provide plenty of hiding places in your home: Give them access to your wardrobe, beneath your bed, even cupboards if that’s where they’re trying to hide (but don't forget to let them back out).
- Use a pheromone plug-in diffuser: These can calm anxious or afraid cats, and they’re best when used weeks in advance. Talk to your vet to find the best one.
- Close all windows and doors, and block the cat flap: This will stop your cat from trying to escape in fear.
- Close windows and curtains to muffle the sounds: If possible, blackout your cat’s safe space, so they can't see any flashes from outside.
- Make sure your cat is microchipped: In case they bolt and escape during the commotion (by law, any cat over 20 weeks old should already be microchipped).
During fireworks
When the fireworks begin, try to spot the signs of stress in your cat – such as hiding, eating or drinking less, pacing or appearing visibly scared. To reduce this response:
Do:
- Put on some music or TV: Or even a pre-made playlist of soothing sounds. This will help to mask the firework sounds.
- Close any windows and black out your cat’s safe area: If you haven’t already, do what you can to block out both the noise and the flashes.
- Keep your environment secure: Make sure your cat can’t escape if there’s a sudden noise.
- Let your cat pace around: If they’re meowing, yowling or hiding, let them. Don’t try to coax them out, they’re just trying to find safety.
- Act as you usually do: Stay calm and be normal, to show your cat there’s nothing to be scared of. It might be hard if you’re worried about your pet, but try your best.
- Listen to Classic FM’s Pet Classics (our proud pet partners!): They’ll be playing three sessions of soothing classical music to keep your cat calm during the evenings.
Don't:
- Don’t stress your cat by trying to tempt them out: Leave them until they’re ready.
- Don’t leave your cat alone (if you can help it): Stay nearby so you can help to calm them with your presence.
- Don’t shout at your cat if they’re afraid: Instead, be there to comfort them and show them that they’re safe.
After fireworks
After the fireworks are finished, try your best to comfort your cat if they seem stressed still. You could:
- Give them a treat or favourite food
- Stay close and show them attention if they’re seeking it
- Be patient with them while they recover
- Keep to your normal routine as much as possible
You could also ask your vet to refer you to a clinical animal behaviourist to help your cat better cope with fireworks.
Fireworks, rabbits and small pets
It’s not just cats and dogs that fireworks affect. Other pets like rabbits and guinea pigs can also become distressed due to the noise.
In our 2024 impact survey, one pet owner told us that a private display of fireworks caused their guinea pig to pass away due to stress. Another sadly shared: “I went out to see my bunnies when the fireworks started. Whilst I was getting the hay I saw one of my bunnies have a fit – and he died. This happened as soon as a loud firework went off. My other bunny was shaking and hiding.”
Just like cats and dogs, small animals also have incredibly sensitive hearing. And the loud, unexpected noises can cause them stress, injury and death.
Fortunately, you can prevent that. Here’s how to help keep small pets relaxed throughout the fireworks:
Before fireworks
- Bring them indoors: Many rabbit and guinea pig hutches, for example, are kept outside, meaning they’ll be more exposed to loud bangs. Bringing them indoors during the fireworks season will reduce this risk.
- Use a calming scent diffuser: This may help to calm them down so they’re in a more relaxed state when the fireworks begin.
- Cover outside cages and pens with blankets: If you have to leave your pet outside, do your best to block the outside noise from their habitat, layering the outside so it's soundproofed, ideally covering them as much as possible, leaving a gap for ventilation. Or turn their cage to face a wall and muffle the sounds as best as possible.
- Provide bedding for small animals to burrow in: This provides them with extra places to nestle down and hide inside.
During fireworks
When the fireworks are going off:
Do:
- Put on some music or TV: Or even a pre-made pet playlist of soothing sounds. This will help to mask the firework sounds.
- Close any windows and black out your pet’s safe area: If you haven’t already, do what you can to block out both the noise and the flashes.
- Keep your environment secure: Make sure your pets can’t escape if there’s a sudden noise.
- Act as us usually do: Stay calm and be normal, to show your pet there’s nothing to be scared of. It might be hard if you’re worried about your pet, but try your best.
- Keep your small animals together: Small pets like rabbits and rats need to be with their companions at all times, and should not be separated during times of stress.
- Listen to Classic FM’s Pet Classics (our proud pet partners!): They’ll be playing three sessions of soothing classical music to keep your pets calm during the evenings.
Don't:
- Don’t leave your pets alone (if you can help it): Stay nearby so you can help to calm them with your presence.
- Don’t shout at your pets if they’re afraid: Instead, be there to comfort them and show them that they’re safe.
After fireworks
After the fireworks are finished, try your best to comfort your small pets if they seem stressed still.
The best thing you can do is to return to your normal routine, monitoring them closely to check for any lasting effects – the stress of fireworks can impact their appetite, causing them to eat less (try to encourage them to eat by giving them their favourite treats).
If you notice any appetite changes, talk to your vet for advice. If the impact of the fireworks is long term, you could also ask your vet to refer you to a clinical animal behaviourist to help your pets better cope with fireworks.
Making firework displays less scary for pets
Explore and share our infographic on reducing the impact of fireworks on animals – and spread the word!
Related content
*Feedback from pet and livestock owners in 2024 impact reporting survey
Over the last three years 21/23, we received over 13,000 responses to our impact reporting survey, each detailing the fear responses demonstrated by animals and the experiences of their owners.
In situations like these, it's hard to know how to react or what to do. Especially if you're a new pet parent, it may not be something you've even considered in advance of firework season.
However if you are one of the many people taking measures to help relax or prepare your pets, horses and livestock for firework season, there are some helpful hints and tips that'll help.
How to calm dogs during fireworks
Before the firework season begins
Train your dog to associate the area with positive experiences, e.g. by leaving their favourite toys there, but not imposing yourself at any time. Use a variety of chew toys, such as stuffed Kongs and chews. Swap them regularly, putting them away when not in use so that your dog doesn't become bored with them.
With time, dogs can learn that this place is safe and enjoyable. When fireworks go off, they may choose to go there because they know, in that place, they are safe. It's important that your dog has access to this doggy safe haven at all times - even when you're not at home.
Calm your pet during firework nights with Classic FM
For the festive season, we are once more teaming up with Classic FM’s Pet Classics - the UK’s most popular classical music station.
7pm to 10pm: PET CLASSICS with KATIE BREATHWICK (programme 1 of 2)
Katie Breathwick presents the first of two special editions of Classic FM’s Pet Classics to help calm pets across the UK as firework celebrations commence on New Year’s Eve. If your furry, feathered (or even scaly) friends are frightened by the bright lights and loud bangs of firework displays, join Katie to help bring some calm to your night. Katie will also share practical advice and tips to help keep your pets relaxed and chilled.
10pm to 1am: PET CLASSICS with KARTHI GNANASEGARAM (programme 2 of 2)
Karthi continues the calming music for pets, and their owners, across the country, with a second special edition of Pet Classics. As midnight draws in and fireworks become louder, Karthi will play the most relaxing music for you and your pet. Karthi will also share more practical advice from the RSPCA to help keep your pets relaxed.
When the fireworks start
- Walk your dog during daylight hours to avoid times when fireworks are likely to be set off.
- Move your dog to the safe haven each evening before the fireworks begin. Provide toys and other things that they enjoy in the safe haven.
- Make sure there are things for you to do too, so your dog isn't left alone.
- Close windows and curtains to muffle the sound of fireworks. Blackout your doggy safe haven, so they can't see any flashes outside.
- Put on some music or TV to mask the firework sounds.
- Ignore the firework noises yourself. Play with a toy to see if your dog wants to join in, but don't force them to play.
You could also talk to your vet about pheromone diffusers. These disperse calming chemicals into the room and may be a good option for your dog. In some cases, your vet may even prescribe medication.
Video: Watch our advice on pets and fireworks
Watch our Advice on Pets and Fireworks video for tips on keeping your pets safe this firework season.
How to help cats who are afraid of fireworks
- Provide hiding places in your home . e.g. under furniture or a quiet corner.
- Don't stress your cat by trying to tempt them out. Leave them until they're ready.
- Keeping them in to avoid them becoming stressed.
- Microchip your cats in case they're startled and escape outside.
How to help small animals during fireworks
- Partly cover outside cages and pens with blankets so it's soundproofed and hidden, leaving an area for animals to look out.
- Provide bedding for small animals to burrow in.
- Consider bringing them indoors - this will need to be done gradually, so plan ahead.
Keeping horses safe during fireworks
It's not just the animals in your home that can be scared of fireworks - horses can be too.
If you're a horse owner:
- Know in advance - check to see if there are going to be any firework displays in your area.
- Talk to the organisers - where possible, explain there are horses nearby and ask them to set off their fireworks in the opposite direction.
- Get advice from the British Horse Society (BHS) - for top tips on keeping your horse safe and secure during the firework season
How to treat firework phobia
Firework phobia is a treatable condition and animals don't have to suffer every year. Seek advice from your vet who will, if necessary, be able to refer you to a professional clinical animal behaviourist. Never punish your pets when they're scared, as this will only make things worse in the long run.
Acknowledgement for this information is made to Prof Daniel Mills. Read more about our expert contributors.
How you can help reduce the impact of fireworks on animals
If you want to enjoy fireworks, you can make them less frightening for animals in the following ways:
- Going to an organised event will reduce the number of fireworks disturbing animals.
- Please only let fireworks off on or around traditional celebration dates (Diwali, Bonfire Night, New Year's Eve and Chinese New Year). Most owners will already know to expect fireworks on these dates and should have prepared accordingly to help their animals cope. Look for low-noise fireworks, and let your neighbours know well in advance so animals including horses and livestock, can be prepared.
- Never set off fireworks near livestock, as frightened animals - especially horses - can injure themselves when frightened.
- Remember, fireworks can also disturb wildlife so steer clear of known habitats like lakes with waterfowl and trees with roosting birds.
- Check bonfires for wildlife before lighting as animals like hedgehogs may be hibernating.
#BeAKindSpark this fireworks season
Take action to improve firework legislation for animals and their owners.
