Omg, I am gobsmacked! Trigger warning - animal cruelty.

[Brigante9]

This company apparently thinks it’s a good idea to send up sky lanterns at this time to ‘support’ the NHS. I’ve seen damage to pets, horses, property and £70K worth of burnt up hay at a local farmer’s, horrible burns on a friend’s horse when the lantern landed on his rug and burnt all his back. I really think the fire brigade, NHS and other emergency services could do without people lighting a lantern and sending it god knows where right now!

Please feel free to email their complaints department (or not, if you think AIBU!) These things cause untold damage every year. I think this is very poor timing. I understand companies are struggling, but this is just irresponsible and does not support the NHS.

I thought they were already banned.

Nice, @SH05! I was terse but non swearing, I think it’s more powerful if we’re polite but scathing!

I’ve shared this everywhere: if people could do the same, FB, Twitter, any social media, I think there might be a strong effect. I’ve plastered it on all my groups on FB. I just can’t see how they can justify this in the current climate and the huge pressure on the emergency services.

@Ipadipod exactly! Very bad taste!

I'm certain there was a first reading of a Bill about these last year - I'd left Parliament channel on, and I'm quite certain a Labour MP presented it, but not sure who she was.

OMG is that a lovely Barn Owl in the second photo? I really think they need to be banned along with all kinds of balloons. So dangerous.

Oh, never went beyond First Reading.
services.parliament.uk/bills/2017-19/skylanternsprohibition.html

I cannot understand the mentality of anyone who thinks it's a good idea to send a flame up into the sky.

No sky lanterns here thank god, but people send up helium balloons with stupid messages tied to them and we find them in the pastures and fences.

With the wildfire danger someone would spend many years in prison with they started a fire with a sky lantern.

I'm puzzled why the U.K. even allows them. Also why are fireworks allowed in residential areas any time of the year?

I believed these to be banned too.
Dreadful idea, even if they're not.
Some people just do not engage their brain...

I’ve just seen from the comments on their Facebook page that they wanted to light 30 lanterns in memory of the 30 zoo animals that died in a fire. Caused by sky lanterns. They had the audacity to claim that the animals deaths were caused by ‘cheap’ inferior lanterns.

I’m just disgusted.

Omg. Just report to wherever they're posting. They're just irresponsible FUCKWITS. 😠

i despair i really do

I too thought these had already been banned.

Glad their Facebook page is already full of angry faces and negative comments. Maybe if everyone just reported their whole page?

Our local fire brigade plead with people not to light them and why on local news

I have a twitter account so shared, doubt it’ll do do much my few family followers though
😂. Maybe someone with a bigger account can tag some animal rights people?

Will be interesting to see if the company replies to the comments.

I have never been a fan of lanterns or balloon releases.

I'm off to write my complaint.

Profiteers

Looks like they aren't interested in any of this as there has been no reply at all from them on FB. They have posted the same photo multiple times even after they got so many negative comments. I think a visit from the fire brigade might stop them. Does anyone know if they would pay them a visit?

How bizarre, I have only ever seen them on Bali beaches,

They are everywhere Snow did you miss this? www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/german-zoo-fire-krefeld-new-years-eve-animals-killed-chimpanzees-monkeys-gorilla-a9266536.html
and they are banned in Germany.

The trouble is, the more places you share this link “in outrage”; you’re actually just giving them free publicity.

Their entire business is sky lanterns. They’re not going to pay any attention to complaints.

They’re probably rubbing their hands with glee that people are sharing their name far and wide.

I thought everyone knew how dangerous these were. And balloon releases. I was coming to post the zoo link- I believe 2 people were prosecuted over that.

But selfish people will always find a reason.

I have to admit, I'm not usually one to take up causes, but this makes me so angry I have actually commented on their page and shared to my own Facebook page. I have a few friends who I know will take this further too. Hopefully if enough people take a stand, they may back down. I looked at their website and they seem to think it's okay because their lantern frames are made out of bamboo, not metal so are wildlife friendly (what?!?!) and they put a list of all the places you should make sure not to light them. Which on reading it, seems to be everywhere!!

Idiots! They are still wind blown, floating fires...

I have sent a complaint.

I'm also on Twitter, but not sure how to post another organisation's advert as you have - I'll do my best though.

They've got their own shitty ad on Twitter - I've commented and am not thinly one who doesn't like it.