With bonfire night this weekend many will be celebrating but it can be an uncomfortable night for pets. We visited Newcastle Dog and Cat shelter with the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service to see what advice they have for pet owners and for staying safe during bonfire night.
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00:00 A lot of us, including me, have got animals at home and it can be a very, very stressful
00:06 time for them during bonfire when fireworks are let off. They can be very stressed, anxious,
00:11 they can bolt and it's a very worrying time. And for us as a fire service, it's also a
00:17 very worrying time because it's our busiest time of the year.
00:21 For many pet owners, bonfire night can be a worrying time and at Newcastle Dog and Cat
00:26 Shelter that is no different. With many animals to look after, it can be a worry for staff,
00:32 but they always put things into place to create a safe environment for those in their care.
00:38 It's quite unsettling and scary for the animals. They have no idea what's happening. All they
00:42 hear and see is loud noises and flashing lights, so it is really unsettling for pets in our
00:48 homes. So it's all about looking after them and making them feel safe and secure. So muffle
00:53 the noise as much as you can. Close the curtains, turn the TV on, the radio, just do anything
00:58 you can to distract them. But stay with them, make them feel safe and comfortable. If you
01:02 have to go and sit in a different room that's a bit quieter and away from the noise, do
01:06 that. Just do what you need to do to keep your pets safe. Don't walk them, avoid taking
01:11 them out for dog walks on Saturday night in particular. And don't let your cats out. If
01:16 your cat's normally out of wonder, keep it locked in. It's better to be safe than sorry
01:20 with them.
01:21 Of course for the fire service, bonfire night is the busiest time of year with many illegal
01:26 bonfires.
01:27 It's the time where we get the most call outs. There are a lot of illegal bonfires to deal
01:32 with, a lot of fireworks being let off in the street, things like that. Unfortunately
01:36 as well we also are potentially subject to attacks via fireworks and bricks and stones
01:43 and things like that during this period. So for us it's a very, very worrying time because
01:47 our job is to keep the public safe, our job is to keep the community from having devastating
01:53 fires and things like that. And unfortunately the prevalence of fires during bonfire means
01:58 that people are more at risk.
02:01 But despite firefighters being attacked, they are still out supporting their community as
02:06 much as they can during the busy night and have set out advice for those who want to
02:11 celebrate bonfire night.
02:14 What we would always say is go along to an organised display. Let's be honest, the fireworks
02:19 that you can get and use at home aren't all that. The ones that you get from your average
02:24 supermarket, they're fine, but really if you want the impact of bonfire night, go to a
02:29 safe organised display and there are plenty of them. If you go onto our website, you can
02:35 have a look at where the nearest organised displays are in Tyne and Wear. Go along to
02:40 there, you'll get a great show, it's lovely and safe, you'll be with the rest of the community,
02:45 you're going to have a great laugh and it's much, much safer than doing it yourself.
02:50 If you do have pets that need to keep safe this bonfire night, you can visit the RSPCA's
02:56 website for further advice. And those who want to celebrate are being encouraged to
03:00 take the advice from the fire service.
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