Rockets and firecrackers on New Year's Eve cause stress, fear or even panic in many animals. The German Animal Welfare Federation has therefore long spoken out in favour of not using fireworks and has joined forces with other organizations to call for a ban on private fireworks. The German Animal Welfare Federation advises pet owners to make the turn of the year as pleasant as possible for animals.
“While people welcome in the New Year with rockets and firecrackers, the deafening noise, the smell of burning and flashing lights in the sky cause mortal fear in many animals,” says Dr. Moira Gerlach, specialist for pets at the German Animal Welfare Federation. Dogs hide in the furthest corner of the house, trembling, and sometimes hardly dare to leave the house for days afterwards. Cats that are out and about flee in panic and can't find their way home. Horses in the paddock run the risk of injuring themselves trying to escape. Wild birds fly up from their roosts in panic and lose vital energy in the cold night. “What's particularly dramatic is that all this doesn't just happen at midnight, but often also on the days before and after, when there is also gunfire,” says Gerlach.
GERMAN ANIMAL WELFARE Federation GIVES NEW YEAR'S EVE TIPS FOR PET OWNERS
For the days around New Year's Eve, animal welfare activists recommend keeping dogs on a lead when walking them. To be on the safe side, cats should stay indoors during this time. Identification and subsequent registration of the animals with FINDEFIX, the pet register of the German Animal Welfare Federation, provide security should the animal get loose or not find its way home. Keepers of small pets and birds can place enclosures and aviaries in a quiet room as far away from the window as possible and cover them with a cloth. Outdoor enclosures should be shielded and secured against incoming fireworks. Inside the home, pet owners should close all windows, doors and blinds so that noise and flashes of light are muffled as much as possible. A background noise from the television or radio can also help to mask outside noises. “Dogs and cats in particular should not be left alone because ‘their’ humans give the animals a sense of security. Even if an animal prefers to hide away, which should be respected, the presence of humans reduces stress,” says Gerlach. “It is important that you treat the animals normally and in a relaxed manner so as not to increase their fear.”
Associations call for a firecracker-free New Year's Eve
53% of people living in Germany* are in favor of a ban on firecrackers and rockets on New Year's Eve in 2022 - in favor of animal welfare, but also for environmental and safety reasons. In an open letter initiated by Deutsche Umwelthilfe, the German Animal Welfare Federation, together with many other organizations, is calling on Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser to take action. They call for a permanent end to the private purchase and use of pyrotechnics on New Year's Eve. To achieve this, only two sentences in the current Explosives Ordinance would have to be deleted. Animal lovers can support this campaign for a firecracker-free New Year's Eve by casting their vote on the Deutsche Umwelthilfe website.
*Source: Representative survey on behalf of the Brandenburg Consumer Advice Center by Insa-Consulere (October 2022)
