The short version
- Now: start quiet firework-sound training, set up a den, and check microchip details.
- If your pet is very frightened every year: speak to your vet this month. Some medicines need starting days before, and your vet may want to rule out pain first.
- From Halloween until after Diwali (8 November): fireworks can go off any evening, often late. Walk dogs in daylight, keep cats in at night, bring rabbits and guinea pigs somewhere quiet, close the curtains and turn the TV on.
- During the bangs: it's fine to comfort your pet. Treats and play during fireworks are linked to dogs getting less scared over time.
- Afterwards: check them over, and check the garden for firework debris before letting them out.
Call a vet straight away if your pet:
- has a burn or a wound (cool a burn with cool running water while you phone)
- is struggling to breathe, or collapses
- has eaten part of a firework, a sparkler, a spent rocket or a glow stick
- has eaten chocolate, raisins, or sweets or gum containing xylitol
- ran off in a panic and may have been hit by a car, even if they seem fine
Out of hours, your own vet's phone line will tell you which emergency vet covers your area. If you think your pet has eaten something poisonous, the Animal PoisonLine can also help (there is a charge).
The 2026 dates to plan around
Fireworks rarely stick to one night. This year Diwali falls on the Sunday straight after bonfire night, so there's a long run of loud evenings in the first week of November.
Start sound training and talk to your vet if your pet struggles. Fireworks go on sale to the public from mid-October.
The first weekend of displays. Halloween is Saturday 31 October: expect trick-or-treaters at the door as well as bangs.
Bonfire night. The rule is fireworks until midnight in England, Wales and Scotland, but many people let them off later than that, so plan for bangs well into the night.
The busiest weekend for organised displays, and Diwali on Sunday 8 November, when fireworks are allowed until 1am. Plan for four loud nights in a row.
Bangs usually tail off, but keep cats in at night for another week or so.
New Year's Eve, until 1am. Everything here works for New Year too.
Check your council's website and local Facebook groups for displays near you, so you know your own busiest nights.
Why fireworks are so frightening
dogs show at least one sign of fear at loud noises, most often fireworks.1
is when most dogs first become afraid, so puppies are the best time to prevent it.2
frightened dogs take more than a night to recover. A few take weeks.2
- The bangs are sudden, loud and unpredictable. Pets can't tell where they're coming from or when they'll stop, and many hear higher sounds than we do, like the whistle before a rocket goes off.
- Fear spreads. A dog scared of fireworks often becomes scared of gunshots and thunder too, and fear can get worse year after year if nothing is done.1,2
- Owners often miss it. In one UK study, about half of owners described signs of fear when asked in detail, but only a quarter called their dog "fearful". Fewer than a third had asked anyone for help.1
- Pain can be part of it. Dogs who become noise-sensitive later in life may have hidden pain, such as stiff joints. A startle tenses the muscles, which hurts, and the dog learns to dread the noise.6 If your older dog has suddenly started minding fireworks, ask your vet to check for pain.
Signs to look for: trembling, panting, pacing, hiding, barking or whining, clinging to you, drooling, trying to escape, not eating, and toileting indoors. Cats tend to hide, go very still or bolt. Rabbits may freeze or thump their back feet.
Week by week
Teach them the sounds are nothing to fear
- Download free firework sounds made for pets, such as Dogs Trust's Sounds Scary programme, written by two UK vet behaviourists.
- Play them very quietly while something nice happens: dinner, a game, a fuss.
- Turn the volume up a little each day, only as long as your pet stays relaxed. If they look worried, go back a step. Most dogs need three or four weeks.
- Puppies and dogs who aren't scared yet benefit too. Training them to link bangs with good things is very effective at stopping the fear starting.2
Talk to your vet if fear is a big problem
- If your pet shakes, hides, pants or tries to escape every year, book a chat with your vet now, not on the day. See what your vet can offer below.
- Some medicines need starting days before, and your vet will want to try a dose first. Pheromone diffusers, if you want to try one, go in a week or two ahead.
- Never give your pet human medicines or sleeping tablets. Many are dangerous for animals.
Build a den and check their ID
- Pick a quiet corner your pet already likes, away from windows. For a dog, a crate or table with a blanket over it. For a cat, somewhere high up, or a box to squeeze into.
- Pop treats in it so it feels like a good place. Never shut them in.
- Check their microchip details are up to date. Microchips are a legal requirement for dogs, and for cats in England since June 2024. Your vet can scan the chip for free.
- Make sure your dog's collar has a tag with your name and address.
Plan for weeks, not one night
- Expect bangs on any evening from around Halloween until after Diwali, sometimes late at night, whatever the rules say.
- For a few evenings before the busiest nights, have the TV or music a little louder than usual (comfortable, not blasting). Then a loud TV on the night won't feel like a sign that something's wrong.
- If you'd rather not have trick-or-treaters knocking, don't put Halloween decorations outside and turn the porch and garden lights off. Keep your dog away from the front door, and the sweets up high.
- Horse owners: let nearby display organisers know you have horses close by and ask them to point fireworks away.
Keep things calm and normal
- Walk dogs in daylight, before the fireworks start, and feed them a little earlier.
- Before dark, take your dog out in the garden for a wee, so they don't need to go out once the bangs start.
- Settle in the quietest room in the house, ideally away from outside walls and windows. Close the curtains and windows, and turn the TV or music up to soften the bangs.
- Let your pet hide if they want to. If they come to you, comfort them calmly, and offer treats, a chew or a game. Never tell them off for being scared.
- Keep outside doors shut. Frightened pets can bolt, especially when the doorbell goes.
- Don't take pets to a display, and don't leave them alone if you can help it.
Check them over
- Look for limping, cuts or burns, especially if they panicked.
- Walk the garden before letting a dog out. Spent fireworks and sparkler wires are often left behind, and they can be harmful if chewed or swallowed.
- Most frightened dogs are back to normal by the next morning.2 If yours is still off their food, clingy or hiding after a day or two, or seems unwell, speak to your vet.
What works: the evidence
There's a lot of advice out there. Here's what the research says about the most common options, from strongest evidence to weakest.
Prescription medicine from your vet
Good evidenceTwo medicines licensed in the UK for noise fear in dogs beat a placebo in New Year's Eve trials.4,5 In an owner survey, 69% saw an improvement with prescribed medicine.3
Treats and play during fireworks
Good evidenceThe one home approach linked to dogs getting better over time in a survey of more than 1,000 owners. It also works as prevention for puppies.2,3 Comforting doesn't "reward" fear.
Relaxation training and sound programmes
Some evidenceOwners rated relaxation training effective 69% of the time and firework sound recordings 55% of the time.3 Sound work needs weeks and goes wrong if the volume rises too fast.
A den, closed curtains, background noise
Expert adviceNot tested in trials, but recommended by every UK vet and welfare body. Easy, free and sensible.
Pheromone diffusers and collars
Weak evidenceA systematic review found too little good evidence for noise fear.7 A later review found some evidence for thunderstorm fear, but the overall evidence is weak.8 Fine to try, but not on its own for a very scared pet.
Calming supplements and other products
Weak evidenceOwners reported results similar to what you'd expect from a placebo.3 Check with your vet before giving anything, especially alongside other medicines.
What your vet can offer
If your pet panics every year, a vet appointment a few weeks before is the single most useful thing you can do. Here's what they may suggest, how it works and why. Your vet will decide what suits your pet, and will check their health and other medicines first.
Questions to take to your vet
- Could pain or another health problem be making my pet more scared?
- Is a medicine right for my pet, and when should I start it?
- Can we try a test dose on a quiet day, so I know how my pet reacts?
- What should I do if it doesn't seem to be working on the night?
- Would a behaviourist help us before next year?
Never give your pet human medicines, sleeping tablets or someone else's prescription. Some human liquid medicines contain xylitol, a sweetener that's poisonous to dogs.
Halloween hazards
Halloween comes just before the fireworks, and brings risks of its own.
- Chocolate: the darker it is, the more dangerous. Keep the sweet bowl up high, and see our guide My dog ate chocolate: what to do now.
- Sugar-free sweets and gum: many contain xylitol, which can cause a dangerous drop in blood sugar in dogs very quickly.
- Raisins: in fun-size boxes and baking. Even a few can damage a dog's kidneys.
- Wrappers and lolly sticks: can block the gut if swallowed.
- Glow sticks: cats love to chew them. The liquid tastes bitter and causes drooling and foaming, which looks scary. Rinse the mouth and phone your vet for advice.
- Candles in pumpkins: tails and curious cats get burnt. Battery tea lights are safer, but keep button batteries away from pets.
- Costumes: only if your pet is relaxed in them. Nothing tight, nothing over the face, and never leave them unattended.
- The door: lots of knocking and strangers in masks. Shut your dog in a quiet room with a chew while trick-or-treaters are about.
Animal by animal
Dogs
- Daylight walks, on the lead, for the whole firework season, not just 5 November.
- A den, a chew or a lick mat can help them settle.
- Flat-faced breeds can overheat when they pant a lot. Keep the room cool and water nearby.
Cats
- Bring them in before dark and lock the cat flap, every evening while fireworks are about.
- Put a litter tray out, and leave hiding places high up.
- Let them come to you. Don't pull them out of a hiding place, and don't fuss over them more than they want.
Rabbits and guinea pigs
- If you can, bring the hutch into a quiet room, shed or garage that no car is running in.
- Cover part of the hutch with a blanket, leaving plenty of air and a view out.
- Give extra hay to burrow into, and keep bonded pairs together.
- A rabbit that stops eating or stops passing droppings after a fright needs a vet the same day.
Horses
- Keep their usual routine, in the field or stable they're used to, ideally with company.
- Check fencing, and remove anything they could hurt themselves on.
- Don't ride on firework nights, and keep yourself safe around a frightened horse.
- Set up a rota with others on the yard to check on them during displays.
- If your horse has panicked before, talk to your vet. Report any firework incident to the British Horse Society, as their figures help change the law.
The law, and being a good neighbour
- England and Wales: no fireworks between 11pm and 7am, except bonfire night (until midnight) and New Year's Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year (until 1am). GOV.UK: fireworks and the law.
- Scotland: the public may only use fireworks between 6pm and 11pm, with the same later finishes on those nights. Some councils also set firework control zones where they're banned. The 2021 Scottish rules.
- Northern Ireland: you need a licence to buy and use most fireworks. nidirect: fireworks.
- Quieter fireworks may be coming. The UK Government asked this summer whether to lower the noise limit on fireworks sold to the public and keep the loudest for professional displays. The consultation closed on 7 October 2026, and a decision is awaited. Read the consultation.
Having your own fireworks? Tell your neighbours the date and time a few days ahead, so they can get their pets ready. Choose low-noise fireworks, aim them away from fields with horses or livestock, and finish at a sensible time. The RSPCA has a guide to low-noise and silent fireworks.
Free UK help
Questions owners ask
Should I comfort my dog during fireworks?
Yes. Calm comfort won't make the fear worse. In a 2020 survey of over 1,000 dog owners, feeding or playing with the dog during fireworks was the one home approach linked to dogs getting better.3 Stay relaxed, let your dog come to you or hide if they prefer, and never tell them off for being scared. Cats are different: let them hide and come to you in their own time.
What can a vet give my dog for fireworks?
In the UK, two prescription medicines are licensed for noise fear in dogs: a gel for the gums given on the night (dexmedetomidine, sold as Sileo), and a tablet started two days before (imepitoin, sold as Pexion). Both were tested against a placebo on New Year's Eve. Your vet may also suggest other medicines, a daily medicine for dogs who are frightened all year, or a referral to a behaviourist. See what your vet can offer.
Do calming collars, sprays and supplements work?
The evidence is weak. Reviews of pheromone products found little good-quality proof for firework fear, and owner surveys found results for pheromones and supplements similar to a placebo.3,7 They're unlikely to do harm, but they shouldn't replace sound training or a chat with your vet for a very frightened pet.
When should I call a vet on bonfire night?
Straight away if your pet has a burn or a wound, is struggling to breathe, collapses, has eaten part of a firework, sparkler or glow stick, has eaten chocolate or sweets with xylitol, or has been hit by a car after running off.
What time do fireworks have to stop?
In England and Wales, 11pm, except bonfire night (midnight) and New Year's Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year (1am). In Scotland the public may only use fireworks between 6pm and 11pm, with the same later finishes. In Northern Ireland you need a licence. In practice people often set them off outside these hours, so plan for late bangs too.
When are the busiest firework nights in 2026?
Halloween is Saturday 31 October and bonfire night is Thursday 5 November. Diwali is Sunday 8 November, so expect loud evenings almost every night from Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 November, with displays on the weekends either side.
How do I keep my rabbit safe from fireworks?
If you can, bring the hutch into a quiet room, shed or garage that no car is running in. Cover part of the hutch with a blanket while leaving plenty of air and a view out, give extra hay to burrow into, and keep bonded rabbits together. A rabbit that stops eating or passing droppings after a fright needs a vet the same day.
Sources
- Blackwell, Bradshaw and Casey (2013). Fear responses to noises in domestic dogs: prevalence, risk factors and co-occurrence with other fear related behaviour. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. University of Bristol, funded by the RSPCA.
- Riemer (2019). Not a one-way road: severity, progression and prevention of firework fears in dogs. PLOS ONE.
- Riemer (2020). Effectiveness of treatments for firework fears in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior. An owner survey, so results are owners' views rather than a controlled trial.
- Korpivaara and others (2017). Dexmedetomidine oromucosal gel for noise-associated acute anxiety and fear in dogs: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study. Veterinary Record. Funded by the maker.
- Engel and others (2019). Effectiveness of imepitoin for the control of anxiety and fear associated with noise phobia in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Funded by the maker. See also the independent Veterinary Evidence summary.
- Lopes Fagundes and others (2018). Noise sensitivities in dogs: an exploration of signs in dogs with and without musculoskeletal pain using qualitative content analysis. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. A small study of 20 dogs.
- Frank, Beauchamp and Palestrini (2010). Systematic review of the use of pheromones for treatment of undesirable behavior in cats and dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
- Veterinary Evidence (2021). Can dog appeasing pheromone ameliorate stress behaviours associated with anxiety in mature domestic dogs?. RCVS Knowledge.
- Veterinary Medicines Directorate. Pexion product information (UK licence, including noise fear in dogs).
- van Haaften and others (2017). Effects of a single preappointment dose of gabapentin on signs of stress in cats during transportation and veterinary examination. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
- Lamminen and others (2023). Pregabalin alleviates anxiety and fear in cats during transportation and veterinary visits: a clinical field study. Animals.
This guide is general advice for UK pet owners. It doesn't replace your vet, who knows your pet, and it isn't a recommendation of any particular product. Medicine names are given so you can have an informed chat with your vet; only a vet can prescribe them. In an emergency, always call a vet straight away.