To be sick of people moaning about their pets and fireworks?

[Sophiehoney]

There's currently a debate on my local Facebook page as the people in the street behind me let off a long, spectacular firework display in their back garden which was very loud.
It was absolutely brilliant and my kids loved it.

Someone has moaned that her four cats are terrified and others are joining in and saying their cats/dogs are also distressed.

They are all saying they should have had a warning?? Even though it's the weekend before bonfire night??

But what really annoys me is that if you click on this woman's name and see all her past posts, she's moaned about the same bloody thing at the same time of year for the past SIX years!!!

Why has she done nothing to prepare for this even though she knows full well it happens around the same time??!!!

Pet ownership is terrible for the environment. An animal that is bread, for no other reason than to entertain a human.. which needs to be fed, watered and its waste disposed of. Other animals are bred so that food can be produced did pets.. taking up resources. Anyone with a pet, who moans about the environmental impact of fireworks, can do one.

Also, if people stoped treating pets like children, and trained them properly, fewer would be reacting. I’m the 70s & 80s fireworks would be going off for weeks … Bangers, and Air Bomb Repeaters etc … the place wasn’t strew with shaking dogs.

I have an allergy to cats & Dogs, who’s owner don’t give a shit, when they insist that the “fur baby” must be allowed to accompany them to every cafe, pub, shop, train ride etc. I love my birds as well, if only cat owners cared enough to stop their animals killing fledgling (cue “it’s natural for them”)

I’ll start feeling a bit of empathy for pets, when pet owners start showing a big of empathy for other people.

I’d ban the sale of fireworks because they’re misused and cause injury to people.

Pet owners have no voice in this though. Your pets create far more public nuisance than fireworks do. They scare people, make loud noise all year round and shit everywhere. Dogs cause far more injury and death than fireworks do. If pet owners genuinely cared about wildlife and the environment they wouldn’t keep dogs and cats, which kill wildlife and foul public and private spaces.

Or when some owners look on lovingly and shout ''don't worry, he's friendly'' at my terrified child as they allow their dog to jump on him.

I don't think dogs (or any animal) should be frightened on purpose by others but I've come across far too many inconsiderate dog owners that I struggle to be as sympathetic as I may have been in the past after so many incidents with my son who is terrified of dogs.

The 5th is mid week this year. How are people supposed to predetermine when youre going to let them off? Weekend before? Mid week? Weekend after?

I want to have a laugh instead of a moan. A very big laugh at people who moan about the cost of living, and then spaff a small fortune of fireworks up into the ether.

Apart from dogs barking (which has the E. Health option) there is nobody who's lives are affected every single day by dogs, poppycock! (and no, I do not have a dog).

Fireworks around here go on for about a month, then we get them NYE and a few days around that (yep, idiots around here don't even keep them for NYE!). We also get the teenagers who like to let them off at random times. This is the problem, not the fireworks, the way it is prolonged.

Already had 2 weekends worth here and now, going to the past, will have them all week this week and then for the next couple of weekends. Sigh!

But you'd be sympathetic to all other animals that are also negatively impacted by fireworks?

People say prepare, yet I've been hearing fireworks for the last 5 days around my area. Its never just one night anymore; Its just getting worse and worse every year. There is no need for fireworks altogether in my opinion, but if the shops just sold the quieter ones and banned the louder ones to public displays only it would be better.

A local one is community funded, sponsored by local businesses and donations on the day. It costs sbout £8k to put on but is great. I do think it’s much better to put on one big show somewhere safe.

I know some councils have introduced firework exclusion zones and I suspect those will increase in the future.

What exactly do you expect her to do to prepare? You can get drugs off the vet to take the edge off. Ime they have little effect and then do you expect pet owners to keep their animals mildly sedated throughout what is often a 9 day period? I have horses and dogs, we live in a semi rural village and generally it’s not too bad. This year it has been horrific, my horses have been beside themselves. I have stood outside for hours Friday and Saturday night holding onto them. The aren’t happy in their stables as then all they can hear are big bangs, they can’t be loose in the field because they are going off at all sides and I risk them running through a fence. Yes I could get a vet out to properly sedate but this lasts about an hour, I don’t know when the fireworks will be going off. I would be looking at £200 upwards for a callout and sedative and then have to monitor them overnight. While I am out trying to keep my horses calm my dogs are indoors equally afraid and without me with them. I will continue to moan about fireworks. Organised displays should be the only thing that is allowed as it is the only way owners can properly prepare.

I would say quite a lot of dog owners are selfish with all this faux concern about wildlife. They quite happily let their dogs off the lead to chase birds and squirrels or whatever because it’s a hunting/chasing breed or needs the exercise - all year round. Or in the worse rare cases harass farm animals.

As a proud Hindu I love me some fireworks. We do them for Diwali and finish at around 11pm these days

I live in a urban area so nothing to worry about horses and livestock. If a few pets feel scared, obviously that's unfortunate for them but they'll get over it. They are just some pets.

I understand the point of ex-servicemen with PTSD but they are a tiny part of the population and yes while I feel sorry for them, should we all restrict our festivities because a very very small % of the population have PTSD?

Luckily I heard first ones last night. Tbh, I didn't hear them at first, my cat was acting a bit weird and then I heard them. They were in the distance so quite quiet. But in previous years it has sounded like they have been let off on the road right outside my house.

And honestly, people in my village tend to post on Facebook if they are letting them off outside of the 5th. Even the local farm who is far enough away that they wouldnt bother anyone let people know.

Yes it’s called compassion and caring for the vulnerable in our society many of whom have autism or ptsd. Imagine if you were affected you’d think differently.

Everything in relation to fireworks has increased exponentially. That is what needs dealing with and what people are objecting to. It's not lovely sparkling lights and a few bangs on one or two days a year, it's constant, extremely noisy, dangerous and frightening for some.

The volume levels have gone up

The frequency they are set off has gone up (most of October and November near us)

The availability/ease of access has gone up

The size of the fireworks has gone up

We find these all over the streets at this time of year. I don't really understand any one who thinks selling and setting these off this is okay?

https://big-shotter-fireworks.co.uk/product/big-shotter-fireworks-centurion-100-shot-missile-cake-pack-of-2/

She's complained for six years because no-one's done anything about it. There's only so much you can do to help pets, and if they're very nervous closing curtains and playing music will only do so much. It's high time noisy fireworks were banned.

Yes, I like seeing the fireworks, but it was best when they were just one night a year.

Since the noise restriction was lifted, years ago, they have also got increasingly louder.

I wouldn’t want them banned though.

They can wear coverings that block out the sounds can't they? Noise cancelling stuff.

My German Shepherd isn't bothered by fireworks. She's only scared by thunder and big buzzy bluebottles 🤣

More sympathetic due to the fact that they don't terrify my child and so many dog owners I've come across don't seem to have any consideration about that? Yes, that's how I'm beginning to feel now.

My friends dog was so distressed, despite drugs, eat mufflers etc she died.

I would be interested to find out how many injuries and fatalities are caused by dogs vs fireworks per year. Maybe we should ban dogs too.

I get to walk in dog poop 365 days a year ecause selfish owners won't pick it up. They can put up with some fireworks a few days a year.

I would love society to show compassion and caring for the vulnerable:
Volunteer for a charity or community group
Make donations to charity
Never park in an inconsiderate way
Welcome people with different needs
Pay more tax to pay for public services
Etc etc etc etc
Banning fireworks is way down the list.

And for the record, my autistic child was a bit bored by the beautiful colours and deafening bangs of the organised display we took him to.