Media Release

Keep your pets safe this weekend

2 November 2006

It’s that time of year again……time to celebrate the festivities of Guy Fawkes with your friends and family.

The Waitakere City Council would like to remind people that while you should have fun this weekend it is important that you ensure the safety of your animals too.

So to help local pet owners the council's Animal Welfare unit has prepared this list of tips to help you have a pet-friendly Guy Fawkes this year:

• Keep pets indoors, with exterior doors and windows kept shut to prevent them escaping or running away.
• Close interior house doors and draw the curtains. This will not only block out the flashing lights of fireworks but also help muffle the sound. Place some familiar items such as toys and bedding in the room and turn on the lights.
• Put on the radio or television for your pet this may help soothe, distract and also drown out some of the noise.
• If a frightened animal hides under furniture, don’t try and coax it out as this will only be adding to its distress.
• Make sure that your dog has a collar on with a registration disk, and cats have a tag with contact telephone number just in case they escape.
• If your dog or cat is elderly, nervous or has a known heart condition, speak to your veterinarian before Guy Fawkes as to whether a light sedative could help calm the animal.
• Livestock owners should move their animals away from areas where firework displays are likely to take place. Horses can be particularly sensitive to loud noises.

One pet-friendly option – which also saves you the cost of buying your own fireworks – is to attend the biggest fireworks display in Auckland, Saturday November 4 at the Waitakere Fireworks Display at Waitakere Stadium, Central Park Drive, Henderson.

The Waitakere Licensing Trust, together with the council and the Waitakere City Lions Luncheon Club have organised the event and tickets are available at Licensing Trust venues and at the council’s One Stop Shop.

If you are worried about the welfare of an animal, then call the animal welfare team on 839-0400.

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