Ford Is Developing a Noise-Cancelling Kennel for Sensitive Dogs

Car maker Ford is developing a noise-canceling kennel for sensitive dogs.

According to Sky News, the prototype kennel — designed with fireworks in mind — is made with the same noise canceling technology used inside cars and headphones.

Microphones inside the kennel can detect the sound of fireworks, they then transmit opposing frequencies from inbuilt speakers to reduce the level of noise and prevent the vibration from a loud firework bang.

Fireworks and Dog Anxiety

Fireworks can cause dogs high levels of anxiety; they are loud, unexpected, and can make an animal feel like their safety is under threat. Last year, the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) launched a campaign to change the use of fireworks in the UK.

The organization has calling upon the government to restrict firework use to public displays and reduce decibel levels; a petition with thousands of signatures supports the campaign.

There are, however, currently no plans to ban private firework displays, so a noise-canceling kennel could be a game-changer for many animals around Bonfire Night.

Leading dog trainer Graeme Hall, aka the Dogfather, said to Sky News, “many animals find fireworks scary – and compared to people, dogs can hear things that are four times further away and across a much wider range of frequencies.”

He added, “preparing in advance of firework displays is the key – and part of that is to identify a place where your pets feel safe and happy.”

Dog-Friendly Inventions

The new prototype for the kennel is part of a new project by Ford called Interventions, where it works to come up with solutions for common problems.

It isn’t the only company striving to make dogs and their owners’ lives easier; earlier this year Tesla revealed a new feature called “Dog Mode.”

With the new mode, which leaves the air conditioning on, drivers can safely run errands and leave their dogs in the car. It also leaves a message on the center screen that reads “my owner will be back soon. Don’t worry!” The feature runs with the car switched off and if the battery drops to 20 percent charge, owners receive a message to their phone.