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

[Time Waster]

Ah but certain alcoholic drinks also confers health benefits or so we read from time to time in news media. Fireworks does not confer health benefits at all.

Seriously Alcohol has a degree of control through high excise duty on them and legislation banning their use in certain situations like driving in Scotland (isn't the legal limit virtually nothing now?) or in certain occupations. Right now there is only an 18 age check on purchase. A little more regulation might bring it up to the level of alcohol along with a huge tax on it to try and reduce their use. You make a good example with alcohol Lb.

 

[matticus]

Thinking about it, fireworks don't cause nearly as much trouble as alcohol does.

Don't forget cars. Very popular, very harmful.

(I've given up - if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!!!)

 

[Time Waster]

Don't forget social media!! There have been many deaths due to social media. Time for a break perhaps????

 

[lazybloke]

Old age should be banned!

 

[matticus]

Oxygen. It killed (at least) 3 NASA astronauts.

BAN IT NOW !!!

 

[Time Waster]

People die all the time while being "treated" by the NHS. Ban that must be a good call too??

 

[raleighnut]

People die all the time while being "treated" by the NHS. Ban that must be a good call too??

I think private hospitals are worse, they don't have the facilities to deal with unforeseen emergencies so have to rush any patients with 'complications' off to the nearest NHS hospital.

 

[Gillstay]

Thinking about it, fireworks don't cause nearly as much trouble as alcohol does.

I love wine, (proper) beer, mead, G&T, etc, but there's no denying it causes terrible problems for individuals and society.

Yes your correct, but so did banning it.

 

[gbb]

A generally quiet Nov 5th (+/- a few days) here.
Less fireworks than normal I thought. A few sporadic multiple bursts as families (I assume) let off their small offerings which let's face it, isn't surprising, fireworks are quite expensive £50s worth doesn't get you much .
Dog was unbothered except for a quick run into the kitchen as the first of the night went off, then he seemed quite relaxed about it.

Must admit we were horrors as kids in the 70s with fireworks i havnylt seen kids misbehaving with them for a.long time now ..

I suspect shops (the few that fo actually sell them now) have tightened up who they're selling to.

All quite civilised here on the night.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Probably not, but maybe restrict sales to a few days before/after Nov 5th?

I prefer just Fire myself. At my old house I had a cheap incinerator for garden waste (it was so cheap when I move out I could fold the remains into a small box and chuck it in the bin lol), but these are some older 5th Nov pics

Parents bought a new shed, I made use of the wood:



No old shed, but plenty of dried garden waste:

 

[Time Waster]

We have been unable to take the dog for a walk after dark for last couple of weeks. It is sad to see a normally confident terrier shaking with its tail between its legs after every firework went off. We stopped taking it out after it ended up having to carry the dog as she would not move once she heard the fireworks starting on the first walk it happened in. She won't even go out into the back garden to make toilet and holds on from dark until it is light in the morning.

IF your dog was like this I think you would support better controls on fireworks. She never used to be like this. In fact before we moved to this village we actually took her to see the organised fireworks display the parish council used to do. They have stopped due to finances and it is this reason that the fireworks season has gone from this one really impressive show to everyone having their own displays for a two week period. THis is why I think private firework shows should be controlled and instead there be more organised ones on one night only, It works and is very good fun on one night when parish councils or local groups can afford it. It also stops all the little ones that happen over a longer period of time. If it was just one or two nights then this would not be an issue IMHO.

 

[lazybloke]

Sorry to hear of the problems @Time Waster.

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.

Sad to hear that's not the case everywhere.

 

[Exlaser2]

Err no 😀

 

[Time Waster]

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.

 

[Electric_Andy]

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