AS New Year celebrations approach guide dog and other assistance dog owners are becoming increasingly worried about the safety of their dogs.
Many find the loud bangs associated with New Year fireworks too much to bear.
Assistance Dogs UK – a coalition of the charities Guide Dogs, Canine Partners, Dogs for the Disabled, Hearing Dogs and Support Dogs – is encouraging readers to attend fu
lly-organised displays on New Year’s Eve, or alternatively ensure that fireworks are let off well away from residential areas.
Sadly, some assistance dogs that have been severely affected by the sound of fireworks have to take medication, which stops them working for a while.
The symptoms are shaking, quivering, nervousness and cowering – a kind of canine ‘shell shock’ so severe that dogs have to be sedated for several days.
In the more severe cases, dogs become so traumatised that they are forced into an early retirement as they are unable to cope with everyday noises such as train doors slamming or the sound of a car backfiring.
These scenarios mean the disabled person is left without the help of their dog, their lifeline in providing freedom and independence.
They are often left housebound, fearing the impact of fireworks on their dog’s health and ability to work.
Assistance Dogs (UK) is grateful to all the readers for following its advice on fireworks, and wishes everyone a safe, warm and peaceful New Year.
Alan Brooks
Chairman
Assistance Dogs UK, Guide Dogs
Hillfields, Burghfield Common
Reading.
The full article contains 258 words and appears in Gainsborough Standard newspaper.
