... to be irritated by pet owners going on about fireworks given the impact that people having pets has on society and the environment?

[Kallyderon]

It's just about time for the annual whingefest about people setting off fireworks to start and it's boring. If you own a domestic animal then your animal impacts on people around you all year round in terms of waste, meat production, safety, sanitation and noise. It also impacts on wildlife.

Given that, and given that no one is obliged to own another living creature, it's a bit much to expect all the other humans around you to refrain from doing something they enjoy because it might make your dog unhappy.

Tbh there are sound environmental reasons for opposition to fireworks but they don't do even half as much damage to wild creatures and their habitats as the average cat or dog, so that's a moot point anyway and obviously not of great concern to you otherwise you wouldn't own a dog.

So AIBU to say give it a rest?

It seems weirdly sociopathic to be totally unmoved by causing unnecessary fear to another living thing.

I think that's unfair to the OP. There are lots of things about their post that ate weirdly sociopathic, not just the lack of empathy.

Yabu

I think you sound very intolerant OP.

My animals are absolutely fine with fireworks but some animals are so terrified they literally lie unable to stand up shaking.
Even if you don't consider yourself an animal lover you surely must see how utterly selfish and cruel it is to put another creature through that just so that you can enjoy a pretty display.

Not to mention the effect on ex soldiers, people who have fled war torn countries, noise sensitive people like autism sufferers, young babies, livestock, horses, the multiple horrific injuries to people and property damage from improper use...

I would like to see them banned entirely myself.

Surely if you love animals you wouldn't own something that kills wildlife

Admittedly people don’t own each other but humans are the biggest destroyers or wildlife! In fact, biggest destroyers of most things.

I don’t mind organised displays of fireworks. What I object to are the ones dangerously set off in public places and that fireworks go off most nights for at least a fortnight around 5th November and other times of the year.

What about farm animals? They potentially can’t get away and don’t understand, and they won’t have any indoor distraction to try to help them.

I hate fireworks, horrible noisy and can be dangerous. Every year we hear stories of children and animals being injured by fireworks, surely no one over the age of 10 gets excited about them anyway, I can't see the point of them at all.

My pets don’t upset or impact on anyone else. My cats are house cats, my dogs don’t chase wildlife and are leaded when they see people if offlead.

Not sure how that makes it okay for lots of fireworks to go off for weeks because some people are knobs and can’t limit firework usage. Idiots set them off during the Day here.

I'm on the fence with this one. The poor animal which is frightened out of its wits doesn't really understand the concept of environmental impact.

Not really bothered about fireworks, but you're right to point out the environmental impact of keeping pets - it is enormous - and few people realise.

Fireworks should be banned except for licensed, organised displays, or at the very least made silent.

There's nothing enjoyable about fireworks out of a controlled environment

Try walking into a street where the little cunts have laid one down on the ground to go up the street when lit at ground level and tell me people are fucking spoil sports.

Cock.

And it's not bonfire night. It's now until after new year. Ban the fuckers.

We live in a flat, there is a dog below us. She howls when left alone, howls when people are in the house at all times. 2 oclock in the morning totally works on the doggo schedule. I do get annoyed by this but the idea of her being frightened and scared because of fireworks doesnt sit well with me. I think fireworks as others have said should be organised. Which yes still creates noise, still impacts pets but doesnt impact the enjoyment of fireworks nights and might reduce nuisance and noise caused by home displays

**RasberryRoyale

My pets don’t upset or impact on anyone else. My cats are house cats, my dogs don’t chase wildlife and are leaded when they see people if offlead.**

Same here.

YABVU and nasty OP

Such a random thread. I'll moan about pets being upset by fireworks as much as I like (I dont actually as my cats couldn't care less) if you are that worried about the environmental impact of pets am guessing you dont have children, dont fly, drive or eat meat? I dont have kids and dont hassle other people about their choices, but do resent being told I shouldn't care about pets welfare as much as I'm sure people with kids would resent being told they shouldn't complain that their dc struggle with fireworks.

I have a few friends with horses. Bonfire night for them is a nightmare. Is that okay as they are technically ‘pets’.?

It’s such a weird argument. My cat isn’t fussed. I am fucked off that for the next few weeks teenagers think it’s okay to let fireworks off during daytime down residential streets/at cars?!?

It’s also a fucking stupid argument because if it scares domestic animals it scares wild animals too. Or do they not count?

YABU x 100

But humans in their current urban centric living aren't part of the environment either.

I can't get my mind around "non-animal lover". What does this mean? Do you hate all animals? Do you just want to be surrounded by..... Humans? (it's probably good you can't see my face when I write that).

I must give OP credit, this is a nice change of pace from the usual weekly dog thread so well done on that.

Yabu and being a massive dick.

Every year for days, weeks random times idiots are setting these lethal things off in gardens, streets and parks.

You have no idea how this causes severe distress and danger to animals, not just pets but wildlife too. Horses running off cliffs, dogs bolting and being hit by cars, cats being taped to rockets...the list goes on.

Year after year emergency services are stretched beyond belief and come under attack from these things. It's well past the time the sale of these to the public was banned completely. They should absolutely only be available for licensed, organised events during three days around 5th November.

Am I allowed to be annoyed by loud fireworks for my own sake? Because unless you know they're coming, they can be startling and irritating. I don't begrudge people having fun with fireworks, but it does slightly annoy me when they light them off when no-one should reasonably expect it (not within the usual time-frame on typical "fireworks occasions"). Or when they light a few every night for several days instead of just doing them all in one "session".

Also, I don't give a crap if people think my dogs are bad for the environment. My dogs are much nicer than a lot of the people I come across online, and the average human does a lot more damage than the average dog.

This time 2 years ago, I was sitting in a stroke ward with my father, surrounded by men in their late 80s/90s. The reaction to the fireworks was sobering and I struggle to enjoy them now.

I get the environmental arguments against pets & think deliberate breeding needs to stop but I'm not on board with euthanising all rescue animals so I think pets are around for a while.

Dementia, young children, mental health and sen adults and children can all be scared of fireworks. Not just animals. So maybe think of them if you arent bothered about animals.

I think we're long past the time they should be sold to the general public.

Too many people fail to act responsibly with them, too many people fail to adhere to the rules regarding dates/times they're supposed to be used, too many people don't parent their children and let them behave like absolute arseholes shooting them off all hours for weeks on end. And they do disturb small children, animals, etc.

We know more now. It needs to stop.

Not a goady post in the slightest..

I love that some posters plan to buy more fireworks, not because they want more fireworks but because they feel it's somehow retribution. You're definitely winning this firework whingefest. Well done for such a compelling and creative argument. (BTW grew up rurally and always had private displays. I'm not actually commenting on availability, I just think you're an idiot)

People objecting to fireworks on safety/environmental/well being grounds = legitimate

People objecting to fireworks because it makes Tiddles cry: not legitimate

So you clearly know YABU, OP. Because, as 'making Tiddles cry' would be a well-being concern, both for Tiddles himself and for Tiddles' owner (who would undoubtedly be upset that Tiddles was frightened), by your logic it is legitimate to object to fireworks. I'm glad we've cleared that up.

I think fireworks should be in managed displays. It is not only cats and dogs which suffer. Quite close to my village a pony had to be put down when it broke a shoulder by running into a fence after being frightened by a fire work..