Brits could be facing a hidden fee every year (Image: Getty)
People looking to buy a dog could end up paying an additional £150 fee each year without realising it. Fireworks are costing the nation’s dog owners an estimated £1.4 billion a year, new research from the charity Guide Dogs reveals.
Owners of anxious dogs spend an average of £145.90 helping their pets cope, while those turning to additional support spend an average of £59.10 on calming products, £134.60 on vet appointments and £99.30 on medication.
And the toll isn’t just financial, but emotional and social too. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of the UK’s dogs – an estimated 9.9 million – are affected by firework anxiety. For their owners, that can mean weeks of disrupted plans, avoiding leaving their dog alone, and sleepless nights.
In fact, over a third (35%) of owners say they cannot enjoy events such as Bonfire Night or New Year’s Eve because they need to stay home with their dog. More than two in five (44%) remained home on Bonfire Night last year, while one in eight (12%) had left a fireworks event early.
Fireworks can trigger anxiety for many dogs (Image: Getty)
Furthermore, four in 10 (40%) agree that worrying about their dog during fireworks season negatively affects their mental wellbeing, as 32% admit to feeling ‘helpless’ when their dog becomes distressed, and 23% are concerned that their dog may hurt themself.
However, there is a way owners can help their dogs prepare for fireworks night: starting desensitisation training early, with three months being the ideal run-up.
Guide Dogs is launching the first National Fireworks Archive training video – the UK’s first crowd-sourced canine desensitisation tool – alongside a national call-out for the public to donate forgotten firework footage from their camera rolls.
Created using real footage filmed in streets, gardens and public displays across the country, the video gives owners a practical starting point for gradually introducing their dogs to the sound of fireworks.
It comes as over a third (35%) of owners admit they didn’t know dogs could be desensitised to fireworks, while 37% admit they have never investigated training options. Instead, more than 2 in 5 (43%) admit to doing nothing to prepare their pet, instead simply hoping for the best.
Haley Andrews, a Guide Dogs expert, said: “Fireworks night doesn’t sound like a clean audio track – it’s messy and unpredictable, which is why so many dogs struggle with them.
“Different fireworks create different sounds and effects, from high-pitched whistles and prolonged crackles to sudden bangs and flashes. That’s why we’re asking the public to donate a wide variety of footage to help us build a more realistic and useful training resource.
“Nearly half of owners (46%) weren’t aware that this type of training may need to begin months before the fireworks season. Desensitisation can take months, so August – not the end of October – is the time to start. By introducing the sounds gradually, at a level their dog can cope with, owners can give their pet the best possible chance of having a calmer Bonfire Night.”
