Over two thirds of pet owners want tighter controls over fireworks

It is time to introduce stricter controls over the use of fireworks in the interests of pets and their owners and also elderly people all of whom have loud noises imposed on them without consent for long periods from Diwali to New Year’s Eve. What about quiet fireworks?

Animal Friends.co.uk conducted a survey which understandably found that over two thirds of pet owners wanted stricter controls introduced when setting off fireworks.

Surprisingly, however, 44% of pet owners in Coventry, UK said that they set set off fireworks at home. Pet owners in the age bracket 18-24 were more likely to do this. This does not surprise me as fireworks are essentially for young people. In general, a quarter of people in this age bracket with pets admitted to using fireworks at home.

Fifty percent of pet owners said they played music or left the TV on to help calm down their pets. Six percent of participants to the survey said they used homeopathic remedies (probably Bach’s Rescue Remedy). And three percent used an anti-anxiety vest, such as the Thundershirt. Thirty-five percent said they bought their pet a new toy.

Some fireworks create 150 decibels of noise. Three-quarters of pet owners want some restrictions on when the fireworks are set off as they are used at night.

Over half of respondents said that their pet had reacted badly to fireworks while six percent said that they had witnessed animal cruelty involving fireworks.

I think there is a demand from pet owners for staged (licensed) firework displays rather than a free for all system which leads to fireworks being set off for a period of several weeks to include, Diwali, Halloween, Bonfire Night and New Year’s Eve.

Many pet owners are genuinely concerned about fireworks but perhaps too accepting of them. Normally it is acceptable for people to have fun provided it does not impinge on others without their consent. But with fireworks we can have the situation where one family can affect hundreds of pets negatively. Surely this is wrong. Fireworks are an example of one person’s enjoyable pastime having a negative impact on many others. They are forcing their ‘entertainment’ on hundreds of others and many cats and dogs. Stricter controls are required. Common sense dictates it.