Life

Fireworks not fun for furry friends

By Andrea Hunt (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-01-25 07:54

Every year, Beijing's night sky comes alive with the spectacular sights and sounds of fireworks. Photos provided to China Daily

Spring Festival here in Beijing is one of the most riveting experiences there is on Chinese soil.

The fervor to which the locals celebrate the coming of the lunar year is unrivaled, ringing in the New Year with a bang.

People may joyously relish the booming sensory overload from the bursting, firework-peppered sky, but for our furry animal friends, these explosions can be extremely traumatizing.

"They were scared to death the first time they had to go through it," said Fabio Scapin, referring to his two cats.

Scapin, from Italy, works at a real estate company in Beijing. He lives with two cats, aged 4 and 5.

"Now, they've finally gotten used to it," he said.

His situation is very similar to that of Megumi Terui, from Mexico, who has been living in Beijing for the last four years with her rabbit, Enrique.

"Rabbits and rodents are very sensitive animals and are likely to die of heart attacks," Terui said.

She said the only way to calm Enrique, as he shakes uncontrollably in fear, is to play music - endless sound covers up the shocking surprise of random explosions.

But the animal that has the hardest time, according to US veterinarian Mary Peng, co-founder of the International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS) in Beijing, is our canine friend.

"Dogs who are afraid may pant, drool, pace, whine, try to escape, cower and shake or even destroy furniture and have house training accidents," she said.

Peng said that while cats may not display the same level of traumatic behavior, they do need a quiet, dark, hiding place to "ride out the fireworks".

"This will help them feel safe and calm until they feel comfortable venturing out," she said.

Tragically, with leashes unpopular among many Beijingers, there is a worry that terrified animals may escape and be lost forever, Peng added.

She said there is no way for Animal Control and Public Security Bureau officials to identify an animal if it doesn't have an ID tag.

ICVS urges people to take a few minutes and get an ID tag engraved with their mobile phone numbers before the upcoming festivities.

Chris Barden is the founder of local Beijing dog and cat adoption project Lingyang.org. He believes too few people take the necessary precautions.

"Irresponsible guardians lose their dog and cat friends every day," Barden said. "All you have to do is visit the city's shelters and rescue groups to see this reality."

He urged all guardians of dogs and cats to take extra care of their animal friends at this time of year, since "in a single moment of carelessness, you could lose a beloved friend".

There are further preventative measures that animal guardians can take to keep their animal friends safe. ICVS advises taking dogs outside before the fireworks begin for a long walk or jog to get some vigorous exercise.

"An exercised body can sometimes wear the mind out, so the dog will be too tired to be afraid," Peng said, adding that playing music or having the TV on can distract an animal.

Her greatest tip though was to provide an animal with a soft "hiding space" in advance. By letting them get used to it for a few days ahead of the fireworks and making sure there are plenty of treats or chew toys on offer, the act of leading them there will be much easier.

Things to avoid include leaving a dog outside alone or in an enclosed fence or yard. And while it may be tempting to calm a dog by petting it, ICVS stresses this action only confirms to the dog there is something to fear. As hard as it might be, act happy and confident, try to play games, and offer affection only when the animal is relaxed.

For more information on how to prepare an animal for festival fireworks, ICVS is giving a related class on Jan 29, from 11 am until noon.