Many German dog owners are seeking refuge in airport hotels to shield their pets from the loud and stressful New Year's Eve fireworks. The annual tradition, involving over 40,000 tonnes of pyrotechnics, causes significant distress to animals, leading to calls for bans from medical groups, police, environmentalists, and animal welfare organizations. Despite these concerns, the government has so far resisted a nationwide ban, while some zoo directors express bewilderment at the voluntary creation of a 'war-like atmosphere'.