Fireworks-related noise phobia affects millions of dogs globally and causes severe suffering — pharmacological and behavioral advances are improving treatment outcomes substantially.
Fireworks noise phobia welfare advances have been significant with the development of licensed anxiolytics that specifically target fear without simply sedating dogs. The historic overuse of acepromazine is a welfare concern: sedated dogs that are still experiencing acute fear but cannot express it are not receiving welfare benefit from the treatment. Modern protocols combining pre-event dexmedetomidine or trazodone with behavioral preparation (white noise, safe spaces, positive associations) reduce the fear experience rather than just suppressing behavioral expression. Long-term desensitization offers the most durable welfare improvement. Public education about fireworks welfare — particularly the pre-event treatment timing — is a population-level welfare intervention that could substantially reduce the millions of dogs suffering needlessly each fireworks season.