06/22/2026
It’s that time of the year again! Soon, fireworks will be lighting up the night sky, their booms echoing across the city. While these celebratory events can be beautiful and exhilarating, they can be particularly distressing for our four-legged friends. Noise phobia or aversion is highly prevalent in our pet populations with up to 50% of dogs being affected to some degree in their lifetimes. This is often a progressive condition that tends to present itself around the onset of social maturity (2 years of age) and worsen over the animal’s lifetime. Typical signs of stress and anxiety include:
- Panting
- Drooling
- Pacing and inability to settle
- Hiding
- Startle responses
- Comfort seeking
- Physiologic effects: Pupil dilation and piloerection (hair standing up)
- Barking
- Appearing “on edge” or “hyperexcitable”
A few simple things you can do to manage and soften the impact of noise stimuli include: offering an open crate that is darkened with a blanket, allowing access to small dark spaces like under the bed or closets, closing blinds or curtains, running a white noise machine or box fan to drown out the noise, and offering physical comfort if solicited. Some dogs can even learn to wear noise-cancelling ear coverings (Mutt muffs)!
*Important safety note: animals who tend to run and hide during noise events are more likely to run away from home in their panic. If you let your pets outside during these events, direct supervision is encouraged.
While fireworks are a common trigger for noise phobia, the condition can also present as animals being afraid during trash day or startled by nearby construction. If your pet typically exhibits or is starting to show signs of noise phobia to fireworks or other stimuli, let us know! There are things we can do to help! Note, we are closed on Friday, July 3rd so start preparing now.
