New Year fireworks: how to protect your dog and cat in Belgium

Every 31 December, thousands of Belgian dogs and cats go through the worst night of their year. For the animal, it is a series of unpredictable explosions, flashes and gunpowder smells, with no explanation. The Brussels Animal Welfare Council points out that noise phobias are the fifth most common cause of behavioural problems in dogs, and that panic leads to escapes, injuries and sometimes death. With a bit of a head start, that night becomes far more bearable.

Recognising the signs of stress

In dogs: trembling, panting, drooling, ears flattened, tail low, pacing, trying to hide or, on the contrary, to flee, damaging doors or windows, refusing food, sometimes urinating or defecating indoors. In cats: disappearing under furniture, dilated pupils, raised fur, unusual meowing, or complete stillness. An animal that had a bad New Year's Eve often reacts more strongly the following year, which is why starting early pays off.

Getting ready from November

Vlaanderen Dierenwelzijn advises getting your pet used to fireworks sounds well in advance, with a behaviourist if needed. In practice:

• Gradual sound habituation: play recordings of bangs at very low volume while your pet eats or plays, then turn it up a few notches a day over several weeks. If the animal freezes or gets worried, go back to the previous level.
• A quiet den: a basket in an inner room, a spot under the bed, a half-open wardrobe for the cat, a carrier covered with a blanket for the dog. The animal must be able to go in and out freely from now on, so that the place already feels safe on the night.
• Calming pheromones: a diffuser or collar set up a few days beforehand.
• A vet appointment: if your pet has panicked before, book in November or early December. Diaries fill up quickly and some treatments start several days before the 31st. Anti-stress medication and supplements are only to be given on veterinary advice: the wrong sedative leaves the animal conscious but unable to move, which makes the fear worse. Note your pet's reaction and the treatment given in its free Zoolinko record: invaluable the following year.
• Check the microchip and registration: many animals run away on 31 December, and a found animal only comes home if your phone number is up to date in DogID or CatID. Our article on microchipping and DogID / CatID registration explains how to check and correct your details, and our guide on microchips in Belgium recaps the obligations.

On New Year's Eve itself

• Walk before dark, always on a lead, even with a normally reliable dog: a single stray firecracker is enough to make it bolt.
• Cat indoors from late afternoon, cat flap locked, windows and doors shut. A panicked cat that gets out sometimes vanishes for days.
• Shutters and curtains closed, lights on to soften the flashes, radio or television as background noise.
• Put away breakable objects and block access to exterior doors.
• Stay calm and natural. Never punish an animal that trembles, barks or soils the house. Distract it with a game or a chew and reward the calm moments. If it comes to you for contact, stroke it quietly; if it prefers its hiding place, leave it be.
• Do not take it to watch the fireworks, and do not set any off yourself.
• After the fireworks, keep a very frightened animal indoors for a few more hours and check the garden the next day: unexploded leftovers can still go off.

If your pet does escape, report it lost on DogID or CatID straight away and switch on lost mode on its Zoolinko profile: whoever scans its chip or QR code sees your contact details immediately.

Horses, rabbits and other small pets

Pasture animals panic too. Vlaanderen Dierenwelzijn recommends stabling horses that are used to it; those that are not are better off left in the field, provided the fencing is sturdy and free of sharp objects. Give extra hay, leave the radio and lights on, and only give a calming product after veterinary advice. For rabbits, guinea pigs and birds, bring the cage into a quiet room, partly cover it with a sheet and add hiding places and hay: a panicking rabbit can seriously injure itself against the bars.

What the law says in Belgium

The rules depend on where you live.

• Flanders: the decree of 26 April 2019 introduced a general ban on setting off fireworks unless the municipality authorised it, but the Constitutional Court annulled it, as the matter is federal. Today, each city or municipality sets its rules in its police regulations. The Flemish government advises asking the municipality or the police zone whether setting off fireworks is allowed and under what conditions; sales at fairs and markets are banned, and purchase is restricted to adults.
• Brussels: setting off fireworks is banned across the whole Brussels territory, even on private property, on pain of a fine. Only professional displays, such as the New Year's Eve show, are allowed.
• Wallonia: no regional ban, but many municipalities restrict or ban private fireworks through their police regulations, sometimes only on public roads, sometimes everywhere. Several municipalities require or promote "low-noise" fireworks, whose airborne bang reaches about 70 dB instead of 150 dB. The Walloon Animal Welfare Council recognises the negative impact of fireworks on animals and asks the federal government to limit their use or even ban their sale.

Check your municipality's or police zone's website in early December, find out the time of the municipal display so you can plan ahead, and keep an eye on the festive chocolate too.