Fireworks season coming up - should fireworks be banned or better regulated to protect pets?

[Alex321]

That is a sad story and you wonder how many other animals experience stress but are not reported. We have always had private displays at my parents farm but we were only saying last week how we would all support a private sales ban. For us, it's the act of getting together around a fire, with some sparklers, and letting off some fireworks. That wouldn't really be ruined by the absence of rockets. But it's like anything now, people seem to have enough disposable income to by many, or big, fireworks and with lots of people letting them off all week in a built up area it's bound to have a greater impact.

For example, I was driving home last night (the 14th) in the dark and I heard a series of rhythmical bangs. I absolutely sh*t myself because I thought it was coming from my car. It was totally unexpected, being 9 days after bonfire night.

Limiting it to one day would be entirely unenforcable, so I think a private sales ban is the only way to go

Why would that be unenforceable?

Loud noises and bright lights are fairly obvious. Anybody letting them off other than authorised days (which would probably be 5th November and 31st december extending an hour into 1st January) gets a visit from the costabulary.

 

[classic33]

It made the news recently that a huge petition has ben presented to the government calling for further restrictions on the sale and use of outdoors fireworks I think I heard a million strong signatories!! The article was alongside a zoo with a population of endangered red pandas that had a female die due to stress caused by fireworks. Then a few days later the juvenile red panda of that dead one also died believed to also be due to stress from fireworks. I think the news piece said they are a red list endangered species and these were part of a breeding programme to save them.

OF course that heart tugging piece with a video clip from the last few days showing a cutesy little red panda being fed by a bottle after its mother had been killed by evil firework users which had died by the time that clip was showing on TV, was definitely laying it on thick. However IMHO the stress it causes to so many other animals that do not engender sympathy like with that young, red panda is enough cause for the government to take steps to reduce the ease with which they are bought and the use by the general public.

Tarring everyone with the same brush, "evil firework users" doesn't do anything for your cause.

Why can't lazy dog owners pick up after their dogs, and dispose of it properly?

 

[classic33]

Why would that be unenforceable?

Loud noises and bright lights are fairly obvious. Anybody letting them off other than authorised days (which would probably be 5th November and 31st december extending an hour into 1st January) gets a visit from the costabulary.

Since the local councils make money issuing the licence to sell them, with the last day they can be sold being the Saturday after the 5th in many places, why not see how many licences were sold/issued by your local council this year.

Their sale is regulated, but very little enforcement.

 

[matticus]

Why would that be unenforceable?

Loud noises and bright lights are fairly obvious. Anybody letting them off other than authorised days (which would probably be 5th November and 31st december extending an hour into 1st January) gets a visit from the costabulary.

... and there are probably lots of tell-tale signs left in the user's garden, on their hands, in their car etc ...
Plus video footage from neighbours (or even social media from the party-goers themselves!)

It would take some effort - more than just sitting in a van wtih a speed-gun, say! - but they can focus on a few days a year, plus tipoffs. Random blitzes in some towns would cut-out a lot of it.

 

[Jody]

Having got past Nov 5th, i had come to the conclusion that antisocial fireworks have been significantly less of a problem in Surrey this year, i might even rethink whether heavily restricting sales is needed.

All seemed pretty resonable around here and we didn't get many beyond the two weekends either side.

Certainly not the free for all it was 15+ years ago and the fireworks have toned down massively on the noise side.

 

[matticus]

Tarring everyone with the same brush, "evil firework users" doesn't do anything for your cause.

Mate, he said right there in the same sentence that it was laying it on a bit thick!!!