Fear of fireworks is common among pets and poses a significant welfare issue. Some animals panic and try to escape the terrifying noise and lights; it often takes them a long time to recover after the experience.
If we consider how animals perceive sounds and lights, it’s easy to understand why many of them are afraid of fireworks.
- Dogs and cats pick up sounds much louder true than humans. The average dog can hear four times better than humans, and the noise-sensitive cat even better than most dogs.
- Animals have trouble understanding the sounds of fireworks because they are not only extremely loud, but also unpredictable. She associate such sounds with dangerand their instincts tell them to get to safety.
- And the flashes of light produced by fireworks are just as threatening to animals as the sounds.
- The overall effect is comparable to the thunder and lightning in thunderstorms, which animals often experience fear response trigger (astraphobia).
- The fireworks are closer to the ground than thunderstorms, so the effect can be even more overwhelming. In addition, the lights and sounds are accompanied by an acrid smell.
Sometimes just a single negative experience with fireworks is enough to trigger noise phobia in a pet. Times when fireworks are repeatedly set off (usually during celebrations such as New Year’s Eve) can increase an animal’s negative response to noise over time. Studies show that even young dogs can develop a fear of fireworks.