Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve! How do you plan to ring out the old year and ring in the new? Our concept of time is very different from our pets. Many of us plan for the future – while our furry friends live mostly in the here-and-now. They certainly don’t understand the change to a “new year”. So when we celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of the next, our pets are just happy to be with us, whatever year it is. They also might not appreciate all the noise-making but they will recognize the celebration atmosphere, and you might want to include them in the party. There are things you can to do make your celebration more pet-friendly.
Start by skipping the air horns, poppers and fireworks – loud noises can cause stress for your furry friend who has more sensitive hearing than we do.
Decorations should be pet-friendly. String lights, streamers, tinsel, candles – are all things that could harm a pet who decides to play with them or chew on them. Put up a festive banner or posters, and skip the confetti and glitter.
Pets are often curious, so make sure you put all snacks (especially those containing chocolate or grapes or raisins) where your furry friend cannot get to them. And caution your guests to keep their snack plates and drinks (especially those with alcohol) out of reach of your inquisitive dog or cat.
One way to help your pet stay safe is to create a quiet place for them while the party is going on. Put your furry buddy’s bed in another room, with a toy or two and some water and food, and then close the door and let your pet relax a bit.
Once the old year is gone and the new year has come, you can spend some quality time with your best friend as you remember all the special times you have shared with your furry buddy - and make plans to create more special memories in the new year for the two of you, when you’re speaking of pets.
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