Effing fireworks.

I love fireworks. I always have - but quiet ones. They never used to be as earth shatteringly loud as they are now, even the bangers the boys threw at us. Why do they have to be so LOUD?

Our old dog was gun-shy, which as a springer from a game keeper was probably why he was for sale, but he had no fear of fireworks. There was no large displays near us so we would have a small display in our garden with a few neighbours and picked pretty ones rather than loud ones. He even got used to the bang ones. That was probably because we had a bonfire with potatoes baking in the ashes and burgers and sausages and other nice things which the children fed to him.

Has anyone tried sausages as a cure for firework fear?

4allweknow. I don't think we are celebrating trying to murder someone. The point of bonfire night is the celebration of the bringing to 'justice' the murderers who were attempting to assassinate the King and so commit treason.

Hi Spangler, like you I used to throw penny bangers and Jumping Jacks. Now hate fireworks, having realised how dangerous they were. The nuns at my Catholic school couldn't understand when we moaned about getting homework on 5 November.

I would hate to distress any animal in such a way.

I always said when I die I would be cremated and then packed into the biggest loudest sparkley firework I could buy!
Have a party and let it off!!!
(I think they want to put a bomb under me sometimes anyway, so they get their wish - every ones a winner?!!)
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Nipped out shopping at teatime last night and got home before 7pm to my poor dog shaking like a leaf. Surprised they had started so early in the evening or I would of stayed home with her. Went on for hours and I'd TV blaring to try to drown the noise out. I've tried everything with her and it doesn't work plus she has epileptic seizures at times with them. Also people complaining about having no money, but they can waste it on bloomin fireworks. Priorities!

I too had a cat who loved fireworks and would spend hours on New Year's morning on the window-sill where she could see the fireworks.

I joked that she had been one of Napoleon's artillery men in a previous life.

I can't help feeling that completely silent fireworks might be dangerous. How would someone know they had gone off. I can just see a banger whizzing around silently at ground level.

But it should be possible to make them quieter, and to enforce regulations regarding when you may buy them.

whitewavemark2 I spent a fortune on all the different types of plug ins, cds of loud noise and fireworks to try to calm my dog during firework season and nothing worked. The dam things should be banned other than official organised displays. Can't understand why we still celebrate an attempt to murder someone!

I too love fireworks and bonfires and have fond memories of childhood bonfire nights. None of our cats were troubled by local fireworks; it seems to be dogs who are scared, or possibly their owners, who at the same time can never understand why anyone should be nervous of their dogs.

I love fireworks! Right now I'd love to see loads of them as a big cheer-up and a short display of defiant joy. I do have a cat, but she is completely unfazed by the loud bangs. Animals in towns have to put up with all sorts, surely? Police sirens, planes, helicopters, cars backfiring.

Families with young children do enjoy displays, although our local ones have all been cancelled. I have not heard too many fireworks going off thank-goodness as my dogs do not like the noise. I have already got my plug in phermones to calm dogs plugged in and a spray that you just rub into the chest. The spray really has a good effect on one of the dogs and she does not run around in fear.
We have had four days of rain where I am and it is forecast rain until next Tuesday, so that should keep them in over the weekend. The worst fireworks are Diwali and New Years
Eve they go off like bombs and should be completely banned.

I have no objection whatsoever to families enjoying NOV' 05th either in their gardens, or at organised displays.
I can settle my pets and cope with that.
However in my area, they've been going off for the past 4/6 weeks. A few nights ago I could hear them at nearly 11 p.m!
Absolutely no care or consideration for anyone..

I don't see anything wrong with families having a "bonfire night" as we did when we were little.
It is a shame for pet owners, though, when they're so frightened.

What happened to those lovely chrysanthemum fountains and snowflake ones that went on forever ?
Nobody does pretty anymore, it's got to be the earth-shattering explosions that besides making animals ill, they must also have an impact on some ex-service people who are also suffering the effects of past wars.

The millions that are spent on such deadly forms of entertainment would be better spent on those who have to pick up the pieces----families who've suffered injuries, NHS and the RSPCA.

It’s a total waste of money, don’t understand why people like seeing their money burning. Maybe donate money to a worthy cause instead of wasting it.

We only ever let them off on Nov 5th, our 'display' lasts about 10 minutes and usually finishes with a rocket. I think most people are careful to keep pets indoors on that evening.

Welcome to my world! Living in East Sussex where every village has a bonfire society and a procession through the streets, they all have their fireworks 'do' on separate weekends and try to outdo every other village to get the loudest bangs (all done in the name of charity you understand - not big boys playing with dangerous toys). This means fireworks start at the end of September (yes really) and don't finish (if we are lucky) until early December. Add to this people holding firework parties in their own gardens and there are fireworks all the time for months on end. How are you supposed to keep your horses, cats, dogs safe and other animals safe and happy? Have been campaigning for silent fireworks just as they have in Italy, but I am told that I am trying to change a historical tradition. I thought I was trying to bring it into the 21st century!

No Nanny 27. If you neighbours are happy then go ahead and enjoy the night. Heavens above we need some thing to light up our lives at the moment. I love the idea of silent fireworks though and low noise ones. I seem to remember in the 60's most fireworks were pretty such as Roman candles, snowfires and rainbow cascades. Have a great night.

Why do you say that Bazza

I also hate them, but the silent ones sound like a good compromise. I had a flier through the door a couple of weeks ago promoting a shop that sells them, and the cheapest one was £25!

I wonder how many of these people that ‘celebrate’ November 5th have any idea what the date signifies.

I feel quite guilty now having read through this thread. I have bought a small box for use in the garden on Bonfire Night. We will have hot dogs and toffee apples and parkin as usual. The children will have sparklers and we will end with a few fireworks. We only have one close neighbour who is happy with our plans. Am I being selfish?

The idiots who live adjacent to my field were letting fireworks off and I found 6 rockets on the land. My poor pony was distressed and ended up with an abcess due to galloping around. I dread it every year now.

Twice last week coming back from a walk with the dog in broad daylight,

we heard fireworks go off - poor dog was about demented! She is a nervous creature. In Aldi last week noticed they had drops to put on the dog to calm them down. Didn't expect to have to use them yet!

When my children were small we used to have fireworks in the garden. (Only a few bangers). My collie and her daughter were quite different. Whereas the mother dog used to sit with us and watch the fireworks, following the rockets with her eyes, the younger dog used to dash upstairs and hide behind the toilet.

EVERY year my dog has to endure the torture of fireworks being let off virtually every night from the end of October to way past November 5th. It's heartbreaking to watch because nothing I do can calm or console her. I spend most nights during this period wrapping my arms around her and singing to her (more torture!) hoping I can distract her enough to at least stop her panting/hyperventilating. This goes on for weeks. And even after all the fireworks are gone it takes her a long time to accept that every little noise is NOT another firework. ???