Bonfire Night with pets

Bonfire Night in the UK is 5 November. The bangs rarely stay inside that one evening. Private fireworks start earlier and trail off later, which is why the WellPawed seasonal card stays up until 6 November and then swaps to winter paw care.

Set the room before dusk

• Close windows, draw curtains and put on a familiar sound at a normal volume.
• Give the pet a room they already like, with water, a bed, and a litter tray if they are a cat.
• Walk dogs earlier, while it is still light and quieter, if they are happy to go. Do not march a frightened dog towards a display.
• Keep cats indoors. A startled cat who bolts is the outcome you are trying to avoid.
• Identification matters every day. Check the tag is readable. Microchip details are your responsibility to keep current.

What a product can and cannot do

A lick mat is a surface for a food your pet is already allowed. Some dogs settle into licking. Some do not. It is not a medicine and it is not a behaviour programme. The slow feeder only changes the pace of a meal. If your pet pants, destroys doors, or cannot settle at all, call a vet rather than adding another object.

The Bonfire Night tool turns the date and your on-device pet profile into a checklist. It does not score anxiety. The calm evening tool is the same idea without the calendar.

WellPawed does not sell prescription products, pheromone plugs or supplements. If a vet has already suggested one of those, follow the vet, not a shop listing.