Ban Fireworks!

It's not simply a case of some animals 'not liking' fireworks - some become so terrified by them that they die from the stress. And it's not just pets either. What about the effect they have on wild animals and livestock too? I know someone whose horse had to be put down last New Year because it got so distressed by fireworks that it managed to get out of the stable and ran through a wire fence.
As I say, you can get silent fireworks now - or beautiful drone displays which replicate them. Why not have those instead and minimise the damage caused by the 'normal' ones - which, let's face it, are much much louder now than they used to be.

I agree with the sale of fireworks to the public being limited by noise and size, the largest ones require much larger exclusion zones than most gardens can accommodate.
I'll assume that those who want only official licensed displays don't live near any suitable venues for such displays, so they and their animals won't be affected. Also these displays aren't inclusive of children like my grandson whose disabilities meant his only enjoyment of fireworks came from a few sparklers, golden rain and other old fashioned fireworks in his own garden. Maybe his inclusion isn't considered to be important, it isn't in so many areas of life.

Flippinheck - the thread title - "Ban Fireworks".

Why spoil the fun for so many people. It is up to animal owners to take any action necessary to protect their animals.
How can animal owners protect their animals against such loud unexpected bangs? Keeping them inside is not enough to mask the noise. Humans also suffer enormously as we know.

If it was just 5th Nov and 31st Dec it wouldn't be so bad, but it's often random nights all through Nov and Dec. Australia doesn't sell fireworks to the public so why do we? You can have just as much fun at an organised display and it will prevent a lot of suffering.

They’ve been banned here for years except for the public ones. People still get them but not nearly as much as in most countries. They cop large fines if caught.

You can have just as much fun at an organised display

No you can't!
I don't (and see Rosie above)

What about the people whose houses surround the display area? What about their animals? Will they be immune to suffering? Nobody is addressing this.

It seems a shame to spoil the fun, but maybe there should be some limits on the sort of fireworks that can be sold to the public. It's only 9nce a year.
Happy 2026 to all.

Luckygirl I think most people would agree with there being limits to the sort of fireworks sold to the public. I'd say that those that just make a loud explosive noise with no pretty display could be outright banned as they serve no useful purpose and as far as I know are not used at official displays.

nanna8

They’ve been banned here for years except for the public ones. People still get them but not nearly as much as in most countries. They cop large fines if caught.

How sensible. Wish it was the same here in UK.

I love fireworks but I can see that those who don't, are pet owners or have just got a fractious baby to sleep aren't so keen. However, they do seem to be getting louder. Gone are the days when a stuttering Catherine Wheel, fizzing around on the fence was enough to please children. So many things have to be bolder and brasher these days. There have been a couple let off nearby last night that sounded like ground to air missiles. The Government need to impose stricter rules on the types of fireworks on sale but it won't be easy to impose restrictions on their use.

Those who believe fireworks should be banned because of the distress they cause to animals, should dogs be banned in public because of the distress that they cause to humans?

Should cats be kept in because of the distress they cause to gardeners like me?

Just testing the logic here. Should we be able to seek a ban on anything we don’t like?

Lathyrus3

Those who believe fireworks should be banned because of the distress they cause to animals, should dogs be banned in public because of the distress that they cause to humans?

Should cats be kept in because of the distress they cause to gardeners like me?

Just testing the logic here. Should we be able to seek a ban on anything we don’t like?

So the benefits of fireworks outweigh the harm and distress they cause? If they were limited to organised displays on certain days, then at least people could prepare accordingly. Would that not be a suitable compromise to those who are against an outright ban?

I guess your logic then is that the benefit of cats and dogs outweigh the damage and distress they cause?

Like fireworks that may be true for you, but not for me. I don’t experience any benefit from other people’s pets and do experience quite a lot of distress. Whereas fireworks give me a lot of pleasure, just like pets give others pleasure.

I don’t think you’ve really addressed my point of why logically it’s different for one and not for the other.

You do realise that it's not just cats and dogs - fireworks cause untold distress and misery to wildlife and livestock too. Do they not matter to you either?
Or the humans who are distressed by fireworks - presumably you couldn't give a toss about them either because you happen to like fireworks?
As I said, I fail to see what 'benefits' fireworks bring - other than a fleeting enjoyment to some people, whereas animals play a vital role in the lives of so many people. Limiting fireworks to organised displays on certain occasions would be a compromise which many people would find acceptable, would it not?

I love fireworks but not he huge bombs that frighten the bejesus out of one and all.
Surely they don’t have to be that loud !
S

M0nica

Why spoil the fun for so many people. It is up to animal owners to take any action necessary to protect their animals.

I dislike the way people want to ban everthing that they do not like.

We have just bought a house opposite the parish church. We knew it had bells and a clock. We did not realise until we moved in that the church bell rings the quarter hour bell 24/7.

There are about 100 or more houses within 100 yards of the church, but we are by far the nearest. We could have complained and tried to stop the night time bells, but we didn't and three months in we hardly notice them. I haven't consciously heard them all morning and I am in a room opposite the church. The same with fireworks. If your animals get frightened, keep the in and central

Oh my goodness this has brought back memories of my disgust of church bells .
Living very close at one point to a church that was popular for its bell and its use for occasional “ringing the changes” which went on for hours. I can honestly say I loathe them. Try sleeping off night shift when this occurs, it’s cruel noise nuisance. In my humble opinion of course.

Do they still have church bells? Haven’t heard any for years and years.

Rosie51

What about the people whose houses surround the display area? What about their animals? Will they be immune to suffering? Nobody is addressing this.

I'm quoting my own post in the hope that one of those in favour of banning all but organised displays will give an opinion on the suffering of the people and animals that will live around the display area.

I have seen how terrified a dog can become. Not in any way comparable to the sound of church bells. Church bells ring in a predictable pattern. Fireworks are random. The noise can penetrate through 'defensive' classical music, broadcast on Hallowe'en to try to help.
Have signed, Chestnut.

nanna8

Do they still have church bells? Haven’t heard any for years and years.

Yes, of course.

Not sure if they ring in the New Year everywhere though.

ViceVersa

You do realise that it's not just cats and dogs - fireworks cause untold distress and misery to wildlife and livestock too. Do they not matter to you either?
Or the humans who are distressed by fireworks - presumably you couldn't give a toss about them either because you happen to like fireworks?
As I said, I fail to see what 'benefits' fireworks bring - other than a fleeting enjoyment to some people, whereas animals play a vital role in the lives of so many people. Limiting fireworks to organised displays on certain occasions would be a compromise which many people would find acceptable, would it not?

Well yes. I don’t dispute any of your points.

But logically if you can ban fireworks because of the distress that they cause t animals and humans then you can ban cats and dogs as pets because of the distress that they cause to humans and to other other animals, especially wildlife.

Can’t you see that the argument of causing distress applies to both and therefore, can’t really apply to either. Or is it one rule for what I like and a different rule for others?

On this subject I’ve just read that fireworks are suspected of causing a fire that engulfed a famous Amsterdam church.

But yes the bangs really are just too loud and I always thought it was the spectacle that was special not making people and any other creatures jump out of their skin.
Our Labradors have always from puppyhood been very calm but other breeds and cats and caged animals might suffer.

The petition will go forward, and perhaps the UK Government will insist on soundless fireworks, that do exist.

I don't think that fireworks should be sold to the general public at all.

Organised displays are great for celebrating occasions but fireworks can be dangerous in the wrong hands as well as A&E having to deal with hundreds of firework-related injuries each year.