Bonfire Night can be a nightmare for pet owners, with every exploding firework making your pets feel ever more anxious. However, Classic FM radio presenter Charlotte Hawkins has revealed five songs that she relies on to help soothe pets as the fireworks pop and crack throughout the night on November 5.
Charlotte is still reeling from the heartbreaking loss of her dog Bailey, who passed two years ago, but the radio presenter said she will find comfort in helping other pet owners through the stress of Bonfire Night by hosting Pet Classics. The show, originally introduced by the late Bill Turnbull in 2018, will play calming music to help soothe pets and owners so they can find some peace on the loud evening.
Charlotte’s colleague, Channel 5 news presenter Dan Walker, will host Pet Classics on Wednesday, and Charlotte will take the reins on Saturday when the majority of firework shows are scheduled.
She said dogs can be completely transformed through the power of music, pointing to a video clip sent in by one listener of their greyhound quivering as fireworks sounded.
“Then she showed me a clip of the same dog listening to Pet Classics the next year, curled up asleep. That made it all worthwhile for me, to see that much of a dramatic effect,” she told the Daily Mail.
Charlotte added that the music doesn’t only help dogs, as pet owners had sent in videos of pigeons, iguanas and even bearded dragons relaxing to the music.
Research backs it up too. The Scottish SPCA revealed that playing classical music in dogs’ kennels reduced their stress levels, and another study in Belfast showed the sounds of classical music was more calming for dogs than audiobooks.
