What’s Making Global Cat and Dog News Today?
The Best Pet Daily Round-up of News, Research, Opinion or Fun published about Dogs and Cats from around the world:
United States (National Geographic) How do you calm a dog during fireworks? These products might help.
In Brief: Fireworks can be a source of severe anxiety for many dogs due to their sensitive hearing. To help mitigate their distress, there are several strategies and products recommended by veterinarians:
ThunderShirt: This wrap applies gentle pressure to a dog's torso, mimicking the comfort of being held, which can significantly calm an anxious dog.
Weighted Blankets: Similar to those used by humans, these can help soothe anxiety by applying gentle, even pressure across the dog's body.
Dog Ear Muffs: These help muffle the loud sounds of fireworks, reducing the intensity for the dog.
Calming Caps: These limit a dog's visual stimulation by reducing their field of vision, which can help lessen the anxiety caused by the flashing lights of fireworks.
Sound Machines: These devices can mask the sharp noises of fireworks with more soothing sounds, providing a calming background noise.
Pheromone Diffusers and Calming Collars: Emitting scents similar to those produced by mother dogs to calm their puppies, these products can significantly reduce anxiety in dogs.
Other tips include desensitizing dogs to the sounds of fireworks through controlled exposure, creating a safe and quiet space for them during the event, and ensuring they are physically comfortable and relaxed before the fireworks begin. Combining these strategies and products can significantly help alleviate a dog's fireworks-related anxiety.
Europe (Euractiv) Member states agree on EU-wide rules for the welfare of cats and dogs
In Brief: On June 26, EU countries reached an agreement on new legislation aimed at enhancing the welfare of cats and dogs across the bloc. This legislation, part of the European Commission's animal welfare initiative proposed in December 2023, sets minimum standards for breeders, selling establishments, and shelters, and is one of the few proposals from the EU's planned overhaul of animal welfare rules during the 2019-2024 mandate. Key elements include mandatory microchipping and registration of all cats and dogs before sale or donation. However, the NGO Four Paws criticized the proposal for not requiring all cats and dogs to be chipped, arguing that this could perpetuate illegal pet trading and other welfare issues. The proposal also seeks to ban the crossbreeding of domestic cats and dogs with wild species and to prevent breeding of animals with extreme traits. The draft now awaits the European Parliament's review, where it is hoped that a more ambitious stance will be adopted.
United Kingdom (Messenger) Fifth of cat owners ‘do not intend to get their pet microchipped’
In Brief: Despite a new law requiring all cats in England to be microchipped by the age of 20 weeks, a survey conducted by Censuswide for Direct Line Pet Insurance revealed that around one in five cat owners do not intend to comply. The law, which was enforced starting June 10, mandates microchipping and assigns a 21-day grace period for compliance, after which non-compliant owners could face a £500 fine. The survey found that 16% of cat owners were unaware of this requirement, and 58% did not know the amount of the potential fine. With the microchipping process costing approximately £28, veterinarians have reported a rise in appointments for the procedure, though many owners remain unresponsive. The initiative aims to enhance pet recovery rates, ensuring lost or stray cats can be reunited with their owners.
