Neighbour asked us not to do fireworks?

[lockdownqueen]

I'm in a group chat with girls on our new build estate I've sent out a pre warning as hubby has gone and bought some. Everyone was fine and said they will be in there gardens to watch then one of the girls asked us not too as her dog has severe panic attacks.

don't know what to do? Kids have been looking forward to them.

aibu to go ahead and do them?

I think it would neighbourly to explain to the children their dog is scared (and teaches the DC good community values etc !) . My horse had a heart attack from fright the only night people set off fireworks by her field for their wedding.

[quote Bookworming]@freddosfrogs if your rabbits weren't locked in a hutch then they could run away from the noise down into a Warren.

How about letting rabbits live in their natural habitat and then they wouldn't be trapped having to deal with fireworks would they?[/quote]
Do you think that wild rabbits aren't terrified by them? That they don't have heart attacks, or kill their young with the stress?

Do you think that wild rabbits aren't terrified by them? That they don't have heart attacks, or kill their young with the stress?

Do you think they don't disappear down their Warren?

It's unbelievably cruel to keep wild animals as domestic pets, but for some reason MN thinks it's fine. Just so shits and giggles for their children.

But my point isn’t two wrongs make a right but we have to learn to live with differences - I’m not expecting all dog owners to keep their dogs/under control (though it would be nice!) and dog owners can’t expect people to not do something that brings them pleasure because of the possible impact on said dogs . Although I agree giving a time warning is considerate and not setting them off all week is too

Hope you had a good night. They can take the dog for a drive if they know what time you’re doing. Considerate of you to let them know

We have a dog and cats and we’ve also had fireworks. None of our pets are bothered by the noise fireworks make, and if they were then I’d do my best to get them used to bangs like that. I’d also ensure I had the radio on for them if fireworks were going on. I had horses in my youth and we would always leave the radio on in the stables around the beginning of November.

@Winterterrace

HibbleDibble have you asked your vet about diazepam? Just for Bonfire night and New Year’s Eve?

Unfortunately, it's not this simple. Locally the fireworks go on for at least two week around 5th November. I can't medicate the poor dog for that long.

There are also fireworks let off for numerous other religious festivals throughout the year, as well as new years eve.

I think home fireworks are the height of antisocial in built up areas. There’s a care home roof on fire as I type in my village, and there was another fire in a nearby city last week- both fireworks. Really dreadful.

Dog situation aside, it’s just a crappy thing to do.

Not RTFT but I controversially think fireworks shouldn’t be for public sale for many many reasons. I know that lots of things cause people/pets anxiety but fireworks are one of the most consistently reported causes of anxiety and in cases, deaths, of animals from stress.
For those saying that they can take them for a walk at that time or soothe them etc, it’s unfortunate for us owners with pets (mine is a dog who was a rescue pup and has other issues relating to his initial start in life) that their stress and physical symptoms of stress are awful to see. Unfortunately, our dog needs to me medicated through firework season. I also think for those with PTSD, small children who are frightened by the noise etc it’s a far more considerate action to only use fireworks for predetermined and organised displays in order to minimise the stress and so that it can be expected rather than sudden.
OP, despite what I’ve said, yanbu.
You were absolutely right to let your friends know a time so they could be expected and they could act as best they could. You also had promised your children something and I think where we can act out on our promises that’s really important.
Perhaps it’s something just to keep in mind for future.

@biddybird

Guy Fawkes day was yesterday, so YABU.

And yet we have had people setting fireworks off for over a week here, last night it reached a crescendo from 4.00pm until after midnight, and tonight we have had the same - from about 4.00 and they are still going off - presumably the ones that were left from yesterday.

If it was JUST one night, for a couple of hours, it would be a lot easier to cope with, but it's not - it's weeks and weeks of loud, sudden, unpredictable noises and bright flashing lights.

So YABU!

As for "More people are injured by dogs than fireworks" - probably this is correct - I couldn't find figures for dog bites, but the figures for firework related injuries (below) are not small - and chemical burns, which these are, can be horrific - much worse than a "normal" burn - so they shouldn't be dismissed out of hand just because they happen less often.

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/nov/01/nhs-surgeons-say-fireworks-should-carry-graphic-warnings (1,936 in 2018/9; 4,436 2017/8)

The dog bite figure is likely to be higher because a lot of people meet up with a lot of dogs on a daily basis, children tease and torment dogs (often unwittingly), dog owners get bitten breaking up dog fights etc. Proportionately, if fireworks were encountered every day the way dogs are, there would be considerably more accidents and injuries than there are dog bites. Fireworks are only "safer" because they are encountered less often.

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

The people's who's dogs are severely affected by firework noise, is it really THAT loud inside your home with doors and windows shut?

My neighbours were letting off terrifically loud ones yesterday. Outside it was very noticeable, inside, the cat was oblivious.

Some of them not so much but others are extremely loud with really loud bangs. I think it’s important to remember that dogs also have an increased range of audible frequencies so they can often hear or detect things we can’t.

@Bookworming

Do you think that wild rabbits aren't terrified by them? That they don't have heart attacks, or kill their young with the stress?

Do you think they don't disappear down their Warren?

It's unbelievably cruel to keep wild animals as domestic pets, but for some reason MN thinks it's fine. Just so shits and giggles for their children.

Domestic rabbits are not "wild". No-one is suggesting that we trap wild animals and put them in a hutch.

We had rabbits. They had a hutch that was left open, and lived in the garden. DH buried chickenwire at the base of the fence to stop them digging their way out, and to prevent foxes from digging their way in.

The lifespan of a domestic rabbit is considerably longer than that of its wild counterpart. Predation, parasites, disease and periodic starvation carry them off at an early age. Most feral rabbits don't see the end of their first year.

As a contrast, one of our rabbits was almost 12 and the other 8 when they died.

Sorry and I know that this will upset many of you but I would have sale of fireworks to the general public banned. It's not just one night of the year around here its 8 or 9 weeks of stupidity.
Organised displays are far superior to anything in your back garden and so much safer.

grizzly, your view isn’t all that controversial (at least not on here). I agree with you!

@SchadenfreudePersonified have you watched black fish? They said all that utter nonsense about killer whales also.

domestic rabbits live longer in captivity, wouldn't they be better living a shorter natural life? Do you think a rabbit is saying, her we are so much better living longer confined to this same scenery and looking at the same other rabbit for 12 fucking years?

I think not!

They are not humans, they are rabbits and have no concept of life span!

Lynsey91

I did read the thread but you aren't the OP so not sure why you thought my comment was directed at you
I'm the owner of a nervous dog but that's my responsibility. I can't get my head around the level of entitlement that makes some dog owners think they have a right to demand to control other's enjoyment of a tradition. Its legal after all.

Non pet owners put up with all sorts all year...barking, dog poo all over the place etc..Children have had it hard enough this year. I haven't had fireworks personally but my neighbours have and I have no issues with it. Good for them. Hope the kids enjoyed it.

@Krampusasbabysitter

Wow, some shitty people out there. It's not just pets but wildlife that suffers too.

This exactly there have been idiots letting them off here since the the last week of October here in South Wales. Many of them are the ones that do sound like bombs going off. There have been petitions for years about making them professional display only and they should be on the 5th only. Stop them for weddings, parties and all that other stuff too.

I do wish some posters would stop with the "it's only ONE night". So then why is one of my idiot neighbours letting them off tonight?

Where I used to live (and lots of family and friends still live) fireworks would honestly go on for weeks starting before Halloween and continuing until about 2 weeks after bonfire night. They would then start up again around New Year. Also, of course, the random ones for other religious festivals and for odd people who think they are good for celebrating birthdays. It was a nightmare having a dog that is scared and also meant we could not go out for weeks just in case there were any

Where I live now we thankfully get very few. There is normally an organised display in our village but of course it was cancelled this year so people have had them at home. Why though can they not have them on the correct night?

I think fireworks are potentially very dangerous in most people's gardens and most younger children would be happy with sparklers. That being said, if people want to have fifteen minutes of fireworks on bonfire night only then it is fine by me as long as they are not the very loud ones that sound as if you are in the middle of a war zone. However, tonight they are off again and, while our dog put up with it last night, he has been very upset this time. It is bonfire night not bonfire fortnight and it is not fair on animals or anyone else who is frightened of them.

Do you knowingly put your children's delight at seeing a firework over the trauma it will cause an animal? An ethical question really. Your response says a lot about the type of person you are.

OP, I understand completely. I loved fireworks and when my children were young we went to all the local displays. Enjoyed them and thought nothing of it because the dog we had at that time was totally chilled.

However when we got a second dog this all changed. He was, and 12 years on still is, terrified. Halloween, Fireworks Night, New Year and the several nights either side of them are pretty traumatic times in our house. It's not a matter of soothing or calming a trembling dog. When fireworks go off he tries to literally tunnel through walls to get away from the noises. He does extreme trembling, panting and salivating, running from one place to another before digging again trying to escape the sounds. My husband has literally had to lie across him before pining him to the floor. We've tried shutting him in a covered crate but he actually destroyed one crate trying to get away from the noises. We tried the pheromone calming stuff, thundershirts, then our vet put him on tranquilizers and had him referred to a Dog Behaviourist at Cambridge Uni Vet School for sound therapy after his fireworks phobia escalated into fear of rain and thunderstorms. But we couldnt ever get him past playing the noises even very quietly and the tranquilizers were not always reliable as they take time to work and need to be given when in a calm state. Organised displays are on set dates and times - we can prepare for those. But people letting them off in their back garden just do it whatever the date and time they want usually with no warning to people with animals (so big thank you OP for warning your neighbour). The only respite we've had was last year when I found out about Calmex which is a natural herbal remedy you get from the vet - £8 instead of £80 for tranquilizers. If given before fireworks start hes relaxed enough to cope although both him and our younger dog are barking at fireworks being let off at this moment and hes panting and pacing round. Unless you've seen the distress fireworks cause it's hard to understand, but I challenge anyone - even those who dont like dogs, to not be moved and upset by the sheer terror he goes through. Our dog has an extreme phobia but this is not uncommon in dogs, and dogs are not the only animals who suffer firework distress. Fireworks are also frightening for wildlife and livestock. Think of fields of sheep and cows with fireworks going off. It's not unknown for herds to try running to escape. I know I'm sounding as though I'm having a go, but I'm not. I'm just trying to get non pet owners to understand what happens when fireworks go off. My personal preference is for organised firework displays only and ban fireworks being sold to the general public to let off in their gardens. Fireworks can be very dangerous - visit A&E on Bonfire Night and you'll see what I mean, and they are very expensive. You have to spend alot of money to do even a mediocre display in your garden.

I know it's been a hard year for all of us, and we are in Lockdown again and crave something normal for us and our kids, but setting off lots of fireworks in gardens causes alot of trauma to animals. OP thank you for warning your neighbours but I hope you understand why your neighbour doesnt want them because her dog is frightened.

I don’t know where my cat is at the moment, he’s hidden away somewhere in absolute fear for the 4th night in a row. Fireworks started at 1.30 in the afternoon on Sunday, wtf does that? They go off during the week from 4pm to after midnight, I was woken by one at 1am this morning. They sound like rockets and gunfire. Fucking twats who think it’s ‘fun’ for the kids. I want them banned completely and massive fines for people selling them and people letting them off. Sedate my cat for 2 weeks? Fuck off!

@Willyoujustbequiet

Lynsey91

I did read the thread but you aren't the OP so not sure why you thought my comment was directed at you
I'm the owner of a nervous dog but that's my responsibility. I can't get my head around the level of entitlement that makes some dog owners think they have a right to demand to control other's enjoyment of a tradition. Its legal after all.

Non pet owners put up with all sorts all year...barking, dog poo all over the place etc..Children have had it hard enough this year. I haven't had fireworks personally but my neighbours have and I have no issues with it. Good for them. Hope the kids enjoyed it.

You make it sound like it is oh so easy to stop a nervous dog being scared. As I said my dog was not scared at all because I spent time making sure of that. He is scared now because of one dickhead so what would you suggest I do?

I have tried the cd's again and playing firework displays on my laptop. No matter how quiet I play them he runs into his bed and is scared.

If people were responsible and only had them on the right night and at sensible times (not when it is broad daylight) he would still be fine with them.

I have never liked fireworks much as I don't see the point in them. Waste of money but I hate them now and if I could find the person who made my dog scared I would ram one up his or her arse (unlit).

It is not a matter of entitlement. Why should people be able to buy such dangerous items and then let them off night after night after night? Why should they be able to scare so many animals and people?

If it is such a fucking tradition then they should only be let off on 5TH NOVEMBER surely? If I am ill at New Year I don't when I am better start singing Auld Lang Syne with friends/family on any old random day.

Also it is not just dog owners who want them banned it is anyone who cares about animals whether that be pets, livestock or wildlife. It is people who care about the elderly and those with ptsd and those who care about the environment so don't start making this about supposedly selfish dog owners.

I am a responsible dog owner. I always clean up after my dogs and I don't allow them to bark

I really don’t like fireworks - many animals are terrified of them not just dogs. Don’t you have any empathy , OP?

Just get some sparklers next year ?

When I lived in London we used to live neAr some nutter who let off literally 100 fireworks a night throughout Oct and Nov - thank god we live in. Middle of nowhere now