Get Your Pet Ready for New Year’s: The Night When the Most Pets Go Missing

New Year’s Eve is meant to be a joyful celebration but for pets, it can be one of the most frightening nights of the year. Fireworks, flashing lights, unfamiliar visitors, and sudden loud noises can overwhelm even the calmest dogs and cats.

No surprise then that more pets go missing on New Year’s than almost any other day.

As a responsible guardian, a little preparation goes a long way toward keeping your pet safe, calm, and at home where they belong.

Here’s how to get your pet ready for New Years:

✔️ 1. Update all ID information

Before the celebrations begin, make sure your pet’s:

• Microchip details are current

• ID tag (if they wear one) has your best phone number

• The Digital Pet Passport shows accurate contact info

If your pet becomes startled and bolts, correct identification is the fastest path home, and New Year’s Eve is the night when pets are most likely to run.

✔️ 2. Secure your home environment

Fireworks can trigger sudden panic that causes pets to:

• jump fences

• push through doors

• slip out of harnesses

• dash out as people come and go

If you are entertaining, before evening hits:

• check that gates latch properly

• close windows

• lock garden or balcony access

• remind guests to close doors behind them

A few simple adjustments can dramatically reduce the risk of an accidental escape.

✔️ 3. Create a calm, comfort-first space

Set up a cozy, quiet area with:

• familiar bedding

• low lighting

• a favorite toy

• gentle background noise (TV, white noise, or soft music)

For cats, provide a safe hiding spot like a covered box, an open carrier with a blanket over it, or a quiet corner with a soft bed. Cats will naturally seek somewhere to hide when frightened, and offering a designated spot helps keep them from squeezing into unsafe places. For dogs, a covered crate or den-like setup can be soothing if they already find it comforting.

✔️ 4. Plan ahead for stress relief

Talk to your vet before New Year’s Eve if your pet:

• has noise anxiety

• panics during storms

• has bolted before

• shows signs of fear (pacing, panting, hiding)

Your vet may recommend:

• calming supplements

• prescription anxiolytics

• pheromone diffusers (like Feliway or Adaptil)

These options work best when planned in advance, not in the final hours before fireworks begin.

✔️ 5. Have your pet’s essential information at your fingertips

The Digital Pet Passport helps you stay prepared by keeping microchip information, registration, vaccination proof, emergency contacts and vet details all in one secure, accessible place.

If your pet does go missing, speed matters — and having accurate information ready prevents critical time from being wasted.

✔️ 6. Keep your pet indoors during peak fireworks

Most New Year’s runaways happen between 7pm and 1am.

• Walk dogs early

• Close curtains

• Keep all pets indoors before fireworks begin

❤️ The best New Year’s celebration is a safe one. With a little preparation — and your Digital Pet Passport at hand — you can help your pet stay calm, secure, and safely by your side while the world rings in the new year.