Keep your pets calm and safe tonight!

[SCVDem]

If your Muttley is like mine, he spooks at the midnight artillery barrage and if not for the gated yard and being in my room, would likely take off. Every year many do.

The gunshots and aerial bombs freak out many pets, so this is just a reminder to keep them safe and cuddled while the war is going on at midnight.

Let's all stay safe and have a better 2019!

[akraven]

1. Lots of fireworks around where we live.

Neighbors usually make sure pets are safe before setting them off. It's Fairbanks, so our largest fireworks of the year (can't see 'em on Independence Day, it's light all night). Kitty is used to it, just yawns and goes back to sleep.

It's really fun, and kept safe. We take care of neighbors here. Most of the firearms owners buy blanks or birdshot and hit the big trees (to no effect).

[Ohiogal]

6. Wow, you're really up North, there!

How many hours of daylight do you have right now?

[akraven]

7. This time of year? About 2 1/2 hours of sun, 2 hours of dawn/dusk.

It's kinda fun, the aurora are usually pretty clear at 10 or so below. But it's 30 above and threatening to snow again so the fireworksers (I know that's not a word) are going to have to use extra UMMMPHH!

[Ohiogal]

8. Hey, enjoy the celebration!

[akraven]

10. Will! It's generally a lot of fun.

Outside for the countdown - pups, folks, barbecue going everywhere - walk down the hill for free beer? Gotcha, Ohiogal!

[Farmer-Rick]

2. Not too many people do fireworks on New Years around here

But the 4th of July is horrible. I secure all my dogs every night so it's not an issue. But it does sound like a war zone when people get drunk and shoot off fireworks.

[Arkansas Granny]

5. Where I used to live, people shot firearms as well as fireworks.

There is a distinct difference in the sound of shotguns and firecrackers. You had to hope that they were all being fired into the air, but we always stayed inside, just in case.

[Farmer-Rick]

11. Caught my neighbor shooting off fireworks over my chicken coop one year.

It rained down sparks all over that little wooden structure. I know he was drunk. After a yelling match and a few more close calls, he finally decided to shoot off the fireworks over his girl friend's property. It wasn't a special holiday or anything, just a nice summer night.

The boy who lives there and his friends shoot off rifles into our property too. We got them to stop....for now.

Something about the countryside attracts bad neighbors. Yeah you own 10 acres but that doesn't cover as far as the eye can see.

Then there was their pet 300 pound escaped pig that came to eat my chickens. But that's another story.

[Arkansas Granny]

13. My firearm shooting neighbors were in a residential area.

[Farmer-Rick]

14. Oh crap. Nothing like living next to stupid.

[KatyMan]

3. Agree, we'll keep the cats close!

I loathe fireworks. Nothing like laying in bed feeling like some 12 year old with a bottle rocket is going to burn your house down...

[hlthe2b]

4. My current doggy girl is oblivious, but my last, inconsolably terrified...

Those compression t-shirts do help many dogs (thundershirt and other similar brands)

I finally let my last doggy girl hang out in an interior bathroom where she'd huddle in the tub. She seemed most secure there albeit it was sort of like a scene from Psycho the first time I found her in there. I still miss that sweet doggy and think of her every time I hear thunder, but boy am I glad my current sweetie is not afraid.

[dewsgirl]

16. We have a Thunderjacket, doesn't help her a bit. It has been years since, I have been to see

fireworks with the rest of my family. The last time we came home we couldn't find our 85lb. almost 5ft long dog. She never ever goes upstairs, just when we were starting to freak out, our son called us upstairs she was hiding deep in his closet, underneath a shoe rack(how she squeezed herself in there we'll never know). It is very hard, we live in Florida and the sun will be out she starts trembling, we know the weather is about to turn ugly. I give her benadryl sometimes, it really doesn't help her much.
I am not looking forward to this evening one bit.

[marybourg]

9. Everybody (including us) is asleep

by midnight in our senior development. When I first moved here, 25 years ago, I *was* young enough to stay up, and I would open the front door with my noise makers, but it was absolutely quiet. I would give a token hoot and go to bed.

[theaocp]

12. Thanks for the heads up.

We'll make sure everyone is safe and sound. One of ours is no friend to the bombs, so it will be snuggling time. Happy New Year!

[Recursion]

15. No DC fireworks, thanks to the shutdown. Mount Vernon is probably the closest

But that's over the horizon. The thunder shirt is at the ready, though!

[Dem_4_Life]

17. It's usually bad at my house every year.

There is no sense in calling the police hotline since my neighbor who is a cop is the worst offender. LOL

Usually I put calm down in the pet's water or give my dog some benadryl.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

[MineralMan]

18. Fortunately, it's supposed to be snowing and really cold here

at Midnight. That should minimize the shooting and fireworks.