To ask your views on fireworks?

[LlynTegid]

I am sure there will be many on MN who have views, if threads in previous years are an indication. So I'll start the discussion here.

My opinion is that there should be designated days only, and organised displays. Probably no more than five or six such days a year. Allows for celebration, reduces possibility of injury, and warning so you can be indoors when they happen and protect any person or animal.

Well they're not used within the law where I live - which is why I'd like to see them banned from public sale. No one is interested in enforcing the law so I'd sooner only licenced fireworks were allowed.

I can’t believe some of the things I’m reading on this thread.

What about rescue dogs, anxious dogs who’ve been raised correctly? Farm animals? Wild animals?

We have changed since WW2. We know it upsets pets, wildlife and a lot of people, so why do we carry on with it. Also I don't think they used to be as loud and were restricted to Nov 5th and the nearest Saturday more or less.

In any event, we now have more understanding of the damage to health of noise pollution as well.

And displays don't last 10 minutes! It goes on for hours and for days (and weeks). And then we get it all again for NYE.

@TheDogsPaws they can surely buy a white noise machine to play for the shelter dogs and anyone whose dog gets upset can buy one too. Put it on loud enough and the dog wont hear the fireworks at all...problem solved! As for wildlife they tuck up in their nests and burrows and manage just fine.
The fireworks moaning starts this time every year and it's always so selfish

If anyone's reading and wondering where to get them, Yorkshire Trading usually have a great selection of Category 3s. Way better than the ones sold in Lidl and other supermarkets. All fully legal and really good prices. The days of newsagents selling them seem to be long gone but Yorkshire Trading are keeping the tradition going.

Laughable. Just because pets and wildlife are not humans you're not concerned about them?

I love fireworks, but I think they should only be available to official licensed Bonfire night/New year's eve parties within the week of both dates due to the annoyance and terror unlicensed sales cause to both households with young children and pets, but also farm animals and wildlife. I know there would still be piss takers but hopefully repercussions for them if caught..

Fucking hate them. Diwali, Nov 5 and NYE - fair enough. But it's almost constant there - all year around. And people don't give a shit about the time - they were going off at 3am this morning. It's got so bad the police have been running an operation to try and clamp down on illegal fireworks and anti-social behaviour with them, because so many people have complained.

They should be for organised displays only.

@LeaveALittleNote rescue and anxious dogs can be played white noise so they don't hear it.

Farm animals are in barns and have you literally ever heard an actual farmer complaining about fireworks?!

As for wild animals they tuck up in their nests and burrows and are fine.

Do we need to somehow silence thunderstorms because of the wildlife? Thunder is much louder and the wildlife manage fine 😂😂

Oh yes, why didn’t I as an experienced owner and rescue worker think of that?
You obviously don’t have a clue.

I’m not moaning. I didn’t start the thread. I commented about my experience of them.

It seems like you’re looking for a row. 🙄

@Mademetoxic concerned about them but in a very very minor way compared to concern levels regarding human beings....obviously.

The one positive I will take from this thread is there are more caring kind people with empathy than those with selfish view points.

@TheDogsPaws but if the white noise means they can't hear the fireworks what is the issue?

They're a bunch of killjoys. Have you heard modern cars that have been remapped to make pops and bangs? They frighten the life out of you when you're walking down the street and they drive by, its usually on overrun off throttle so they're not going fast but it sounds like a gunshot. But they're legal so nobody cares too much.

Organised big events only?What about extended families with dozens of members at £10+ each plus parking fees or bus fares, fairground rides dear food stalls, glowing plastic crap, sparklers and night markets. What about disabled people who have no access to the middle of a giant muddy field. Is every body rich enough to attend an organised display?

As for OP, five or six times per year only? Whose religion, culture, business or private special events should be denied their celebration. Which pyrotechnics companies should be dissolved to please you. How many companies whose annual revenue rests with supporting these special events. What about businesses who make and/or sell fireworks. What about shops making money from extra food sales for bonfire parties or celebration displays. What about the pubs and clubs who make a big part of their annual profits from firework nights. You want thousands to lose their jobs because you don't like fireworks. I notice that you are far from alone in this. Talk about me, me, me.

I love fireworks. I agree about designating specific dates and time restrictions but not about it having to be an organised display.

I hate to burst your bubble but it’s quite common for pups and young dogs to be fine with fireworks the first year and then get more frightened year on year as they age. So you may not find yourself in such a fortunate position in the future.

If your dog gets in the state one of mine does- to the point that we fear she might actually end up having a heart attack- then maybe you’ll be a bit more understanding. For your dogs sake, I hope to god this never happens, because it’s so distressing.

Category 3 fireworks have a distance of at least 25 metres and should not be on sale to the public at all. That company deserves to go out of business.

Yes, of course I’ve heard farmers complain about the fireworks. I live in a farming community.
My friend who has horses has to drug them on firework night.

Pre planned demonstrations only, and only sold to people with a license.

@Jifmicroliquid thank you for the heads up. If he does start to get upset then we will just make sure he can't hear them 👍🏽

Our dog wasn’t scared of fireworks until a couple of years ago. It’s common for dogs to become scared as they age. She has been anxious every evening for the past week, as soon as it gets dark, as fireworks started going off around here last week. As I type now, some are going off. She is off her food and probably will remain stressed for another week. She wants to hide under the bed. What can we do. We can’t train it out of her, just have to turn the tv up, wrap her up under a blanket at wait for it to pass. It affects when she can go for a walk at any point once it gets dark , if she can go out for a wee in the garden late at night without being stressed. I like fireworks but obviously I can’t go and see them anymore as I don’t want to leave my dog scared at home alone. They scare a lot of animals (and people) and I no longer see the need for people to have fireworks at home. I think it should be restricted to organised, paid displays only.

Fireworks are over rated, they really aren’t that exciting, they upset people with sensory issues and trauma, and they scare wildlife. They are also bad for the environment.

Perhaps another generation will decide it’s all a bit stupid, but I don’t really care that much, it’s hardly the world’s biggest issue.

@ilovesooty it is only cat 4 fireworks that can't be sold to the public. Cat 3 are fine as long as you can be 25m away from them 👍🏽 modern fireworks are sold as a "cake" you just light it once and then the whole display goes off itself, they are very safe.