FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 30, 2014

Make this New Year's celebration SAFE for you and your pets! Big gatherings, kabooms and brilliant fireworks are exciting ways to ring in the new year, but they can be very frightening for our pets. With a little planning and precaution, you can ensure that this holiday is enjoyable for everyone.

Pet Safety Tips for New Year's Eve:

• Keep pets indoors.
Keep your pets in a safe, enclosed room, preferably one without windows. If you’re having guests over, consider keeping pets in a room that’s off-limits to guests, with plenty of water and food.

• Create a calming environment.
Surround pets with their favorite toys and other familiar objects. Sometimes the smell of an article of clothing from your laundry can help comfort them. Play soothing music and keep the room as quiet as possible by closing doors, windows, and blinds.

• Update identification.
The biggest risk of all this New Year's Eve is that pets will get loose and become lost. Even if a pet is secured inside, the sound of fireworks can cause extreme panic – sometimes causing them to even break through glass windows. Make sure your pets are microchipped and wearing identification tags. Call to confirm that the pet’s veterinarian and the microchip company have your current address and phone numbers.

The Seattle Humane Society offers $20 microchipping services for pets of income-restricted guardians, including national registration. Visit us at seattlehumane.org to learn more and have your pets microchipped today!