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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to expect neighbours of the field where my animals live, to warn me about sodding fireworks?

161 replies

Sparrowlegs248 · 05/11/2013 21:27

Just that really. 5Horses and some cows. Broken fencing, traumatised panicky animals. Not sure about injuries as too dark to tell. Had i been told that these particular morons neighbours were having fireworks i could have moved animals and administered sedatives. But no. No warning. From an elderly couple too. Annoyed isn't the word.

OP posts:
Worried3 · 09/11/2013 21:09

To those who are saying the OP should have anticipated the fireworks- if it has not been a problem in 7 years, how was she supposed to anticipate this?

Are you actually suggesting that we should all administer sedatives to all animals on November 5th, in case someone chooses to let off fireworks? Even when nobody local has previously done so on this date, and nobody has said they plan to do so? I think that would be a bit much- giving animals sedatives they probably won't need (well, haven't in the last 7 years), just in case.

We also have horses, and our neighbours do have Bonfire parties some years. They always let us know in advance so we can act accordingly. If they didn't, I would be very angry. I don't routinely administer sedatives on Bonfire night (and presumably also the nearest weekend, as I have heard of parties on the nearest Friday and Saturday).

Strumpetron · 09/11/2013 21:12

To those who are saying the OP should have anticipated the fireworks- if it has not been a problem in 7 years, how was she supposed to anticipate this?

I've not been robbed in 22 years but I still take necessary precautions. It's just common sense IMO.

That said, I do think she has every right to be annoyed that her animals were distressed - I'm a big lover of animals - and it's a real shame there isn't something that can help them. It must be really scary for them.

intitgrand · 09/11/2013 21:30

Little miss abs sounds like she has swallowed a legal textbook, but unfortunately has zero common sense.You have no chance of being successful trying to sue someone for not telling her they are having fireworks on their own garden on bonfire night.
The op's animals they are her responsibility not her neighbours! And anyway why didn't she check with them whether they were planning on having fireworks tbhis year!

catsmother · 10/11/2013 08:34

So, if someone fails to check what their neighbours are doing, that gives them (the neighbours) the right to set off fireworks right next to a field containing several large animals.

Only an utter selfish and arrogant idiot would think that's an okay thing to do.

But hey - it's bonfire night, and they have a god given right - seemingly - to do what the hell they like and who gives a fuck what might happen as a result.

The well being and safety of animals (remember these are large animals, who can't always be easily transported elsewhere, can't necessarily be sedated on a succession of dates "just in case", wouldn't necessarily be safer in a confined (e.g. stable) space) and people in cars as well who could be killed if they had the misfortune to encounter a petrified out of control horse careering into them is quite obviously, according to some, far far less important that the "right" of any old selfish knobhead to happens to fancy some private fireworks.

This kind of complete selfishness makes me despair. This determination to do whatever you want regardless of its effects on others. Any normal person who had unthinkingly done this (and, as I mentioned earlier, they would nonetheless have had to possess an almost unbelievable amount of sheer thickery not to be aware of the dangers) and had then been alerted to the fact by a distressed (and out of pocket) neighbour would have been mortified and apologetic. A decent neighbour would have stumped up the vets fees they caused - yet the OP reports that after she politely told them what had happened they didn't care.

Legalities aside, this is about basic human decency.

halfwildlingwoman · 10/11/2013 08:56

I live in a town where there were tons of fireworks this week. I would still have told my immediate neighbours if I was going to set off fireworks. Animals or not. it is basic courtesy. When I lived in London I still informed my neighbours if we were having a party or a barbeque. It is basic courtesy. I wouldn't set off fireworks in my back garden though because it is fucking anti-social and dangerous. I hate fireworks unless they are lovely expensive well run organised public displays.
knc, really sorry to hear your story. What a horrible thing to happen to your lovely horse.
catsmother agree with everything you say.

Strumpetron · 10/11/2013 11:05

Well it must depend on where you live because if anyone round her told their neighbours they were setting fireworks off they'd be a bit Confused

celestialsquirrels · 10/11/2013 11:22

We went to the neighbours for bonfire night like we have done for the last 3 years. The whole street was there, about 12 kids, 20 adults. It is a semi rural area that is basically large houses each set in a couple of acres. But there is a field in the centre ie backed onto by about 10 houses. Sometimes there are ponies there but usually not. Nobody knows who the animals belong to (field owned by an Oxford college).

So this bonfire night there were 4 ponies in the field. Why? Why why why would you take your ponies to a residential area where, if you had asked, there is always a firework display? Without giving anyone contact details?

I'm afraid we set the fireworks off. There was a whole community waiting to see them. We decided that the owners were either negligent to the point of stupidity or the ponies were bombproof.

I have no idea how the ponies took it because it was pitch black. There were no signs of distress or galloping or anything that we could hear and we started off with small ones first and all craned to listen.

No doubt you think we were thoughtless. We think the owner was.

Pixel · 10/11/2013 17:35

Just thought I'd mention that fireworks are still going off here, for all those people who bleat "you should expect it on the 5th".

Joysmum · 10/11/2013 23:07

More fireworks again now. No vet would advise routinely sedating animals for weeks on end.

Oh, and my ponies would freak if shut in and trapped in a stable when scared.

Ponies aside as not many people have them, what about the poor more common pets having to deal with this, plus the kids that can't sleep thanks to noisy fireworks night after night.

Terrortree · 10/11/2013 23:23

I found the remnants of ten fireworks in one of my fields today - cheeky feckers. Thankfully no animals around at the mo but still!

bumperella · 10/11/2013 23:33

If it's out of the norm for where you live then you should tell your neighbours of your plans.
I live in a small house beside several big fields, and the owners' (mismanaged) livestock is an absolute bloody menace - horses escaping onto main road multiple times (speed limit is 60mph), they "forget" to shut their own bloody gates so their bloody sheep get out onto the road (how can ANYONE be so dim???) ... but all the same, if I was planning on more than a couple of sparklers i'd be giving them a call to forewarn them, even though I doubt they'd extend the same courtesy to me.

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