Fireworks

I'm lucky as I live next to a huge field where the local Round Table put on a bonfire and fantastic firework display.
Lucky in that I can watch from my bedroom without ploughing round the usually very muddy field!

And getting frozen !

We are taking our youngest GD, she's only 7 and will love it , the older ones all got excited about Bonfire Night in their turn but they are now much to sophisticated to bother getting wrapped up with boots and hats to come watch fireworks with Nanny and Grandpa.. lol we'll have fun and eat @rap and probably get cold and muddy but memories are made of these things..

DS's garden in Staffordshire is very steep and they have a walkway at the back of the house which ends in a lean-to construction which is very sheltered so useful for overwintering plants. Every bonfire night (and it seems to last for about a fortnight) most of the cats and some dogs in the neighbourhood take shelter there. He provides water and bedding and checks on them throughout the evening as they have no intention of leaving. The next morning he rings the local animal sanctuary who pick them up and locate the owners. This happens every year. Why can't people keep their animals indoors on a night which clearly terrifies them?

That's terrible, merlot! Not your DS, of course, but the people who can't be bothered to keep their animals in - especially the dogs (because sometimes cats just disappear and won't come no matter how much you call!). You'd think the owners would have more sense if it happens every year...

Keeping dogs in doesn't help. I am sitting here with a quivering labrador. All the doors and windows are shut and the tele' up loud but of course she can still hear the bangs. The big display around here is tomorrow night and we have had odd ones for the last week or so.I wish it could be kept to just one night.

We stayed in tonight as we have DS's dog staying. He's not yet two and got a bit worried when the bangs started so we went upstairs to watch the pretty rockets. Once he knew what was making the noise he settled.

We used to have a springer spaniel who was gun shy. But he loved fireworks. It meant sausages and burgers!

Grace is doing very well so far.She is not happy but I have shut her in the sitting room with me with the TV turned up. Her predecessors (both greyhounds too) would run round the house trying to "escape", they would be panting, panicking and would try to hide in some unlikely places. Icy liked right under the stairs anad Jock used to try to dig a hole in the carpet (!) unfortunately. So I have waited to walk Grace until after Inspector Montalbano and I think it is all quiet - dare I take her for her bedtime walkie?
I abslolutely do not blame them. Their hearing is much more sensitive than ours and if we did not know that the bangs were harmless fireworks, if we lived in a war zone, for instance, we would be terrified too. Animals also do not know that it will be "over" soon. I used to love fireworks but ever since I have seen the distress they cause I only like organised displays well away from private housing. And as for the fact that it is indeed "firework fortnight" , not to mention the random fireworks people let off after birthday parties, weddings, Eid, Hannukah, New Year and all the rest of it -

My dog has toddled off to bed! She doesn't bother about the noise if she's in the house, and will just give the odd 'woof' if she happens to hear or see one outside.

They should make special ear muffs or ear plugs for pets! Our cats used to go onto our bed..never usually allowed there but I relented over firework fortnight! I managed to see the town display from my bedroom window. DGD1 (7) went with her dad. DGD2 (3)doesn't really like the bangs and DGS1 (4) is unwell tonight so missed them and DGS2 (5 mths) doesn't care!

I live fireworks met DH at a firework party in 1966! Sparks have flown ever since!!

I can't see the point in burning money, better spent elsewhere.

Its been very quiet here tonight everyone must be waiting for the 5th.

Bliss here! In the UK, we had fireworks for several months, starting with Diwali, Eid, then Guy Fawkes (for days before and days after) then New years, etc. Our life was a total nightmare, as our dog was terrified, and could never ever be left alone in the evenings, or she would tear up carpets and doors.

Since we moved here, on 2 dates with fireworks- 14th of July on French side, and 1st of August on Swiss side (Swiss national day) - so we go to FRance on 1st of August, and deeper into Switzerland on the 14th July - sorted. Happy dog - happy us.

Ellie our lab is fine but clingy or more so with fireworks,but Bailey my sons dog pants,dribbles and shakes so much he is a more nervous highly strung animal his distress was pitiful poor boy he would have climbed inside our skin if he could...think fireworks should be public display only at least if you lived nearby you could have advance warning and plan to be somewhere else with your pets..

I don't really like fireworks but can live with properly organised displays, although I don't go to them. However, it is almost inevitable that there will be injuries, many of them severe, from fireworks handled by idiots.

We've just had bang, bang, bang since Friday. My cat has heard it all before and doesn't want to go out in the cold anyway. She hardly even pricks her ears up now.

On Friday I spent about an hour trying to call one of my cats to come in during a nearby firework party. He has an electronic Loc8tor tag on his collar which told me he was close, but there was no sign. Eventually I gave up, only to find him indoors minus his collar, which I found the next day in a garden 2 doors away amongst a pile of fur - he had obviously been scrapping! I have 3 cats, and they seem completely oblivious to the bangs despite sharp hearing which picks up food being opened at 100 yards!

I do not like bonfire night. Even though it was 20 years ago every year I can still here the screams of a four year old boy brought into A&E with horrific burns to his hip from having a firework lit in his pocket. I always drove the children mad every year with my safety precautions and am glad that I don't have to make the effort now.

I remember being scared stiff the first time I saw a guy burn. I guess that was in 1945 or 6, no bonfires in the war. I was really upset.

We used to have a greyhound cross, she was terrified when fireworks were going off, she`d spend 2 weeks cowering in a corner, shaking like a leaf, nothing at all would comfort her. Mia on the other hand, hasn`t even pricked her ears up, completely unfazed by it all.

I love the colours and the smells, but hate the bangs. I'm old enough to remember the war. They just mean aggression and hatred to me. Often think of animals in war zones. It doesn't bear thinking about.

Let's ban fireworks, all they do is scare the elderly. And have you seen the size of rocket sticks you could build a boat with them. Around here I'm sure they are launched from canons. BAN THEM NOW BEFORE THEY KILL SOMEONE!!!

You are a real ray of sunshine , ian

We have put one of those special calming collars on our dog this year and while he is still a quivering wreck I feel he is not quite as bad a usual. Even if it has made a slight difference it was £30 well spent.