Bonfire night is a stressful season for animals across Bristol.
We met up with Animal Care Supervisor Poppy and friendly dog Sunny from Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary to learn about how animals at the shelter are affected by the fireworks and the work the shelter does.
Poppy also shared some tips to help calm pets down at home.
We met up with Animal Care Supervisor Poppy and friendly dog Sunny from Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary to learn about how animals at the shelter are affected by the fireworks and the work the shelter does.
Poppy also shared some tips to help calm pets down at home.
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🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00Bonfire night is a stressful time for animals across Bristol. Let's step in to
00:05Holly Hedge to find out how the shelter is affected by the firework season.
00:10So luckily we've got years of preparation to find out what works best here for us
00:14on site but for our more stressful dogs or cats we have more staff on site and
00:19volunteers so we can sit with the nervous ones which really helps them
00:23because having company and someone to talk to really does help and if it's
00:28noise sensitivity Classic FM do a firework radio for dogs and cats which
00:34is really nice it's classical music which really helps soothe and calm them
00:38and if it's they can't hear them but they can see them if it's the flashing
00:43lights that's scaring them we like put sheets up on the windows and just ensure
00:48that someone's there just to keep them nice and calm and settled. We also use
00:52calming sprays which are really good. Pet Remedy do a really nice natural calming
00:57spray and we also have a lady that works for us who does her own version it's
01:02called Recky & Herb and it's all natural scents which has different essential
01:07oils in which really help calm the dogs. Isn't that right Sonny? And then Vince
01:13the vet also does thunder and fireworks drops which we put in some of the more
01:17stressful dogs or the ones that we know are really affected by it just to help
01:21soothe and calm them so we generally start this about two weeks before the
01:25fireworks and we found these three supplements really help just to help
01:29calm them. With the sprays you just sort of spray them in their kennels on the
01:33bedding before you're leaving before the fireworks are due to start and this you
01:38just do drops in their food morning and night and it depends on the weight of
01:41the dog for what size you give. What advice would you give for pet owners during this season?
01:47Obviously it really does depend on your animal but you want to make a safe space
01:51that they feel comfortable in so whatever room in the house they're most
01:55happy you want to make them feel secure so have things that smell like them
01:59their favourite toys. Again calming supplements like these can really help
02:03them and playing music like the Feedback on Classic FM can be great because it's
02:10calming and it blocks out the noise of the fireworks and again just sitting
02:15with them. Natural chew is also a great thing that's something we use here so
02:19like pigs ears, hoofs those sorts of things are great because it distracts
02:23the dog and it gives them something to chew on so it really does relieve some
02:26of the stress that can come from the noise of fireworks. Fireworks are a really
02:30stressful season for dogs in rescue so we are so grateful for all our
02:35volunteers that come in and help us and if anyone is ever interested in coming
02:39and volunteering or just sitting with some of our stressful dogs we are always
02:43looking for people so we're Hollyhedge Animal Sanctuary and we're based just
02:46outside Bristol. Thank you.