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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to be furious about fireworks?

183 replies

Mamaof1DD · 29/10/2023 21:34

I’m not opposed to them on bonfire night, or even the weekends around bonfire night, but WHY do people feel the need to set them off in the days (weeks!) running up to bonfire night?

DD is 5 months and an amazing sleeper, but has been woken up four nights running by fireworks!

Luckily, our dog isn’t scared of fireworks so it’s not a problem for her, but I know a lot of pets are terrified.

AIBU for being annoyed that people are setting them off outside of the approved (by me!) times and days?

OP posts:
pumpkinpie25 · 31/10/2023 13:55

OswaldSpengler14 · 31/10/2023 12:42

At the end of the day I’m not gonna forgo my fireworks because my neighbour chooses to keep a dog

But you'd probably expect your neighbour to stop their dog barking or inconveniencing you in any way.

OswaldSpengler14 · 31/10/2023 14:07

That would be nice but my neighbour is one of those dog nutters that called me worse than rotten when I suggested her dog not shit on my lawn. So therefore I’m definitely getting the loudest fireworks I can legally buy

Phoenixfire1988 · 31/10/2023 14:11

It happens every single year yet people still act surprised and like they had no clue it was going to happen 😐 YABU

BellaTheDarkOverlord · 31/10/2023 14:13

We got invited to go to a bonfire this weekend for bonfire night where there will be fireworks. I’ve said no on two grounds:

  1. dd1 doesn’t like fireworks or the noise and will be constantly upset the whole time. Dd2 is a baby and will most likely cry.

  2. new cat this year and I do not want to leave her alone during fireworks night as she’ll be more likely to go outside if I’m away. I want her to stay in away from idiots who harm animals with fireworks.

Edit to add 3rd:
fireworks are shite and a total waste of money. Paying hundreds to hear a tiny bang and see it fizzle out into nothing when I could be home being warm.

DiscoBeat · 31/10/2023 14:24

I wish the law would say silent fireworks only except the two weekends either side of GFN and the 5th itself.

DiscoBeat · 31/10/2023 14:27

(and ok on Diwali as well of course, sorry)

Delatron · 31/10/2023 14:33

Cluelessasacucumber · 30/10/2023 07:37

YANBU, fireworks are louder, cheaper, more readily available and more regularly used than they ever have been.

They kill a lot of wild birds and cause a lot of litter as well as the stress to people and pets.

I actually love watching fireworks, but I support the RSPCAs very reasonable calls for regulation https://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/fireworks

Agree with this. Another example of selfish humans putting their need for ‘fun’ over the suffering of thousands of animals. Fireworks are shit. Hope it’s worth it to traumatise all those poor animals.

GunboatDiplomacy · 31/10/2023 14:33

And New Year and Chinese New Year

Delatron · 31/10/2023 14:34

And I’m not surprised it happens every year. I just don’t understand why we ignore the fact it completely traumatises so many animals.

pumpkinpie25 · 31/10/2023 14:36

OswaldSpengler14 · 31/10/2023 14:07

That would be nice but my neighbour is one of those dog nutters that called me worse than rotten when I suggested her dog not shit on my lawn. So therefore I’m definitely getting the loudest fireworks I can legally buy

Ahh yes that makes perfect sense. Upset a dumb animal that has no idea it's done anything wrong. That'll teach the owner.

Enderunicorn · 31/10/2023 14:41

Isseywith3witchycats · 29/10/2023 21:48

in some places they are used to let the local drug users know the dealers have got new supplies in so not all of them are normal use of fireworks

That's interesting, we get them let off seemingly randomly every week, all year round, just two or three in a row in the woods behind the estate, I wonder if that's what it is.

OswaldSpengler14 · 31/10/2023 14:42

pumpkinpie25 · 31/10/2023 14:36

Ahh yes that makes perfect sense. Upset a dumb animal that has no idea it's done anything wrong. That'll teach the owner.

The speaker left against the partition wall while I go to work is also effective

pumpkinpie25 · 31/10/2023 14:45

@OswaldSpengler14 cool story 👍🏻

electriclight · 31/10/2023 15:36

Delatron · 31/10/2023 14:34

And I’m not surprised it happens every year. I just don’t understand why we ignore the fact it completely traumatises so many animals.

Pets can be desensitised through exposure. I played firework noises to our rescue until she wasn't bothered by them any more. Obviously not the case for wild animals but I daresay there's plenty of human business that impacts them far more than fireworks. But I do tend to think that many pet owners could do far more to protect their pet from firework trauma than simply telling the world to stop having them.

Delatron · 31/10/2023 15:39

electriclight · 31/10/2023 15:36

Pets can be desensitised through exposure. I played firework noises to our rescue until she wasn't bothered by them any more. Obviously not the case for wild animals but I daresay there's plenty of human business that impacts them far more than fireworks. But I do tend to think that many pet owners could do far more to protect their pet from firework trauma than simply telling the world to stop having them.

Yes thanks for that. I did that to mine from when he was a puppy and he’s not bothered now. I just have huge empathy for all those other animals that are bothered. As we’ve heard from the story about the poor pregnant horse.

I’m not just talking about dogs here. Can you play firework noises to cats? It just doesn’t work for all animals and probably too late for many dogs. All for a few fireworks? I just don’t see the need or appeal

TiptoeThroughTheToadstools · 31/10/2023 15:50

YANBU it's ridiculous but will probably never change. My house roof was hit by a stray rocket 2 weeks ago, of course I have no proof of where it came from, although I do know.

Chickenkeev · 31/10/2023 16:02

YABU. Sadly. I hate them. But nobody else cares about your kids. Least of all teenagers! My DD is not bothered, i'm a shrivelling mess though 😔 i don't remember when my daughter was that age, but i assume we struggled through. It does really suck, but it's short term. Your child will be out dementing others soon enough! In the meantime, i totally get you x

ruby1957 · 31/10/2023 16:06

DiscoBeat · 31/10/2023 14:24

I wish the law would say silent fireworks only except the two weekends either side of GFN and the 5th itself.

This is my beef - years ago most fireworks did not detonate with a very loud bang - there were small rockets, catherine wheels and golden fountains - it was a family orientated low key gathering.

If there must be fireworks - fair enough - but my dog who is driven to a panic with loud bangs - would not be worried by some pretty sparkling lights in the sky.

Mamaof1DD · 31/10/2023 16:29

@Lrnr16 it was clearly tongue in cheek and you know that as well as I (and everyone else on this thread) do.

I’m perfectly happy to be told if I am being unreasonable, and I can see it’s a bit of a divide which is totally understandable, but there’s no need for you to be an arsehole about it.

OP posts:
mydogisthebest · 31/10/2023 17:17

electriclight · 31/10/2023 15:36

Pets can be desensitised through exposure. I played firework noises to our rescue until she wasn't bothered by them any more. Obviously not the case for wild animals but I daresay there's plenty of human business that impacts them far more than fireworks. But I do tend to think that many pet owners could do far more to protect their pet from firework trauma than simply telling the world to stop having them.

Yes I played videos of loud noises including fireworks when we got our puppy. It worked and he wasn't scared of any noises.

That all ended though when he was 6 and someone let off a firework as we walked past their garden. It was one of the loud bomb sounding ones. It was light (about 3pm) and not close to bonfire night. He was terrified. He is 12 now and still scared of fireworks and storms.

I have tried with the videos and cd's of noises since but with no success

Lrnr16 · 31/10/2023 18:07

The only arsehole here is you. You sound entitled and insufferable

WiddlinDiddlin · 31/10/2023 18:34

None of my current dogs are scared of fireworks, however that could change at any point, and we work hard to try to ensure it doesn't. If anyone has dogs who are NOT scared, please work on pairing fireworks with reward to keep them that way.

The issue isn't really the noise... its the unpredictable nature of fireworks and the fact that their use is, currently, something impossible to police.

We can limit sales of them. But once in the hands of the public there is next to no way to stop people mis-using them, or take action once they have.

So yes I am in support of a ban on sales to/use by the general public.

I think you should need to obtain a licence to use them, that licence would be granted only if you have a suitable venue to let them off at, insurance for that, and you'd have to advertise the event to reasonably let those within a particular radius know about it well in advance.

That way those who do want to use them in the main, could still do so - licence holders details would be kept so misuse would be easier to police and take action over, we'd have fewer accidents as venues would need to be appropriate...

And those scared of fireworks for whatever reason, can take steps to avoid it - with previous dogs, we'd drive somewhere quiet for the evening, have a walk, picnic in the car etc... not fun, but achievable for one or two nights out of the year.

Wildlife are still fucked of course, plus plenty of older people who can't go and hide for a night, it isn't a perfect solution but it does reduce the harm somewhat, and the major harm is the unpredictable nature and the misuse by people who should never have been permitted to use fireworks in the first place.

Delatron · 31/10/2023 19:48

Another tip - which I’ve just done - is to put classical music on really loud for dogs. Mine was a bit barky and now snoozing to some classical tunes!

tpxqi · 31/10/2023 20:00

Get a grip. The world doesn’t stop for your dog.

tpxqi · 31/10/2023 20:01

ruby1957 · 31/10/2023 16:06

This is my beef - years ago most fireworks did not detonate with a very loud bang - there were small rockets, catherine wheels and golden fountains - it was a family orientated low key gathering.

If there must be fireworks - fair enough - but my dog who is driven to a panic with loud bangs - would not be worried by some pretty sparkling lights in the sky.

So basically everyone needs to live in 1957 so you and your dog are happy.