Fear or Freedom? Rethinking How We Project Our Anxieties onto Pets During Celebrations
The debate over loud celebrations like Guy Fawkes or Diwali often centers around the noise’s impact on pets and wildlife. On the surface, it seems that anyone with a love for animals should be naturally opposed to loud fireworks. Yet, this concern could reveal deeper cultural and social influences that may not necessarily stem from the intrinsic needs of animals. Instead, it could be an example of a Westernized, anxiety-fueled narrative.
In nature, animals are regularly exposed to loud, startling sounds – thunder, waterfalls, the clash of predators and prey, and even natural fires. Over millennia, these environmental elements have shaped animals’ responses, building in them an adaptability to cope with sudden noise. So why, in our modern society, are we so quick to assume that pets are helplessly terrified by celebratory sounds?
One answer may lie in the ways we’ve altered our relationship with animals. Pets in Western societies are increasingly seen as family members rather than animals with unique evolutionary adaptations. While this bond enhances the joy of pet ownership, it can lead to anthropomorphism – the projection of human emotions, thoughts, and fears onto animals. Empathy, in this case, turns into an assumption that pets are equally as distressed as humans might be by loud sounds, ignoring that animals have their own ways of understanding and dealing with fear.
Moreover, there is a tendency in the West to seek total control over the environment, aiming to remove every possible discomfort or threat. When we try to eliminate all sources of stress, we might unwittingly hinder animals’ natural coping mechanisms, potentially making them more vulnerable to sudden noises, rather than helping them build resilience. In traditional societies, animals are often exposed to natural elements, including celebratory noises, as part of everyday life. Such exposure allows them to adapt and develop their own responses.
Of course, this isn’t to say that all animals are entirely indifferent to fireworks or that they don’t sometimes react with stress. However, the cultural narrative around pets’ “fear” of loud noises may often be more of a human projection than a reflection of actual animal experience. Those who have genuine, conscious connections with their pets can sometimes see this distinction, recognizing their animals’ resilience rather than assuming weakness or fear at every loud sound. They trust in the animal’s natural ability to adapt, viewing fireworks or thunder as just another stimulus in a complex, dynamic world.
Perhaps a broader awareness of how we project human fears onto animals could lead to a balanced perspective, one where we neither impose undue stress on animals nor overprotect them based on our own anxieties. By respecting animals’ inherent strength and adaptability, we might celebrate without fearing harm to our pets, honoring traditions and recognizing their resilience in a world filled with occasional thunderclaps and, yes, fireworks.
