Fireworks Season Planner for Pets
A countdown to the big dates and a week-by-week plan so your pet is ready long before the first bang.
Countdown
- Bonfire Night – 5 November 202645 days to goExpect fireworks on the nearest weekends too.
- Diwali – 8 November 202648 days to goFireworks often start several evenings beforehand.
- New Year's Eve – 31 December 2026101 days to goUsually concentrated around midnight.
Fireworks often happen on the nearest weekends too – plan for a fortnight around each date.
Your pet's plan
45 days until Bonfire Night
Start the plan now: desensitisation and a safe den make the biggest difference.
2 steps would ideally have started already – begin those today and keep the rest in order.
Week by week
8 weeks before – 10 Sept
Build the safe den
Set up a covered, enclosed hiding place away from windows – a blanket-draped crate, a cupboard, or a corner behind the sofa. Leave it open all the time with familiar bedding and a favourite toy, and feed treats there so it becomes the best spot in the house.
7 weeks before – 17 Sept
Start sound desensitisation
Play firework sound recordings at a volume so low your pet barely notices, while they eat or play. Two short sessions a day is plenty. Free recordings are available from Dogs Trust and the Blue Cross.
6 weeks before – 24 Sept
Check the microchip details
Update your phone number and address on the microchip database, and check collar tags. More pets go missing around Bonfire Night than any other time of year.
5 weeks before – 1 Oct
Turn the volume up a notch
Increase the recordings very slightly, always staying below the level that worries your pet. If they react, drop back to the previous volume for a few days. Slow is fast here.
4 weeks before – 8 Oct
Speak to your vet
For a pet who was very frightened last year, book a chat now. Vets can discuss anxiety medication and referral to a behaviourist, and some options need trialling in advance. Never give human medicines.
3 weeks before – 15 Oct
Plug in a pheromone diffuser
Optional, but low-risk and worth trying. Put it in the room where your pet spends most of their time and leave it running through the whole season.
2 weeks before – 22 Oct
Shift walks earlier
Move dog walks so they finish comfortably before dusk, and start keeping cats in from late afternoon with a litter tray, food and water indoors.
1 weeks before – 29 Oct
Rehearse the night
Close curtains, put the TV or radio on, and settle your pet in the den for an evening. Stock up on long-lasting chews and stuffed Kongs, and check the local press and social media for display dates near you.
On the night – 5 Nov
On the night
Feed early, toilet before dark, shut all doors, windows, cat flaps and curtains, put background noise on, and let your pet hide where they choose. Stay calm and stay with them.
On-the-night checklist
- Walk the dog and let cats in well before dusk
- Feed a little earlier than usual – frightened pets often will not eat later
- Close all windows, doors, cat flaps and curtains
- Turn on the TV or radio for background noise
- Make sure the safe den is open and comfortable
- Keep your pet's collar, tag and microchip details up to date
- Stay calm and stay in – comfort them if they come to you
- Never punish or drag a hiding pet out
- Do not take dogs to a display, even if they seem confident
- Have your vet's out-of-hours number to hand
Never give human medicines to a pet. If your pet is very frightened, your vet can discuss anxiety medication and refer you to a qualified behaviourist.
Why start six to eight weeks early
Almost half of UK dogs show fear of fireworks, and cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and horses are affected too. The single most useful thing you can do is start before the season, because the two techniques that genuinely change how a pet copes – sound desensitisation and building a safe den – both need weeks of quiet, unhurried repetition. Trying either on 4 November does not work.
Sound desensitisation, properly done
Free firework recordings are available from Dogs Trust and the Blue Cross. Play them at a volume so low your pet barely registers it, while something good is happening – dinner, a chew, a game. Two short sessions a day is plenty. Every few days, nudge the volume up a fraction. The rule is simple: if your pet reacts at all, you have gone too fast, so go back to the last comfortable level for a few days. Rushing makes things worse than not starting.
The safe den
Pets cope best when they can hide. Make a covered, enclosed space away from windows – a crate with blankets over it, the cupboard under the stairs, a corner behind the sofa – and set it up weeks ahead with familiar-smelling bedding. Leave it open at all times and never shut your pet inside. For cats, offer several hiding places, ideally up high, and remember that a cat who hides under the bed all evening is coping, not sulking.
The fortnight around each date
Displays rarely stick to the date itself. Bonfire Night spills across the nearest weekends, Diwali fireworks often start several evenings early, and New Year's Eve concentrates around midnight. Move dog walks so they finish before dusk, keep cats in from late afternoon with a litter tray indoors, and check your microchip details – more pets are reported missing in the first week of November than at any other time of year.
On the night
Feed early, toilet before dark, then close everything: windows, doors, cat flaps and curtains. Put the TV or radio on to mask the bangs. Let your pet choose where to be, and comfort them if they come to you – the old advice about ignoring a frightened animal was wrong, and you cannot reinforce fear with kindness. Stay calm yourself, because pets read us closely. Never punish a frightened pet, never drag them out of a hiding place, and never take a dog to a display.
When to involve your vet
If your pet was very scared last year – shaking, panting, refusing food, toileting indoors, trying to escape, or destroying doors and furniture – speak to your vet early in the autumn. There are prescription options that help a great deal, and referral to a qualified clinical animal behaviourist can change things for good. Human medicines are never appropriate: many are toxic to pets, and doses cannot be guessed.
Small pets
Bring hutches and runs indoors, into a garage (never one where a car has been running) or a quiet shed. If they must stay outside, turn the hutch to face a wall or fence, cover part of the front with a thick blanket leaving air space, and pile in extra bedding so they can burrow. Rabbits and guinea pigs are prey animals and hide their fear well, so watch for a rabbit that stops eating – twelve hours without food needs a vet the same day.
Horses
Ask neighbours and local organisers about displays near your yard. Check fencing for gaps and hazards, keep to the normal routine, and decide in advance whether your horse is calmer stabled or turned out – changing it on the night adds stress. Stay nearby if you can, keep hay in front of them to occupy the mouth, and make sure someone with horse experience is at the yard. Have your vet's number to hand in case of injury.
Frequently asked questions
When should I start preparing a pet for fireworks?
Six to eight weeks before the first big date. Sound desensitisation takes time, and a safe den needs to become a familiar, comfortable place long before the first bang.
What are the key UK fireworks dates?
Diwali, which moves each year, Bonfire Night on 5 November, and New Year's Eve. Displays also spill onto the nearest weekends, so plan for a fortnight around each date rather than a single night.
How does sound desensitisation work?
Play firework recordings at a volume so low your pet barely notices, paired with something good like dinner or a game, then increase the volume very gradually over weeks. If your pet reacts, you have gone too fast – drop back down.
What makes a good safe den?
A covered, enclosed spot away from windows: a crate draped with blankets, a cupboard under the stairs, or a corner behind the sofa. Add familiar bedding, leave it open all the time, and never shut your pet in.
Do pheromone diffusers help?
Some owners find them helpful, and they are low-risk. Plug them in a few weeks beforehand in the room where your pet spends most time. They are one part of a plan, not a fix on their own.
Should I comfort a frightened pet?
Yes. The old advice to ignore them was wrong – you cannot reinforce fear with kindness. Stay calm, let them choose where to hide, and be there if they want you.
Can my vet prescribe anything?
Yes. Speak to them early, ideally weeks ahead, as some medications need trialling first. Never give human medicines to a pet – they can be toxic and are never a substitute for veterinary advice.
What about rabbits, guinea pigs and horses?
Bring hutches indoors, into a garage or shed, cover part of the hutch and add extra bedding to burrow into. For horses, check fencing, keep to the normal routine, stay nearby, and decide in advance whether stabling or turnout is less stressful for that individual.
Estimates only – not a substitute for advice from your vet.
Last reviewed: 22 September 2026