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??!!!

Agreed. It does seem needless.

The FB message I mentioned said they’ve already had six incidences of fireworks being set off near their horses in the last couple of weeks.

All this argy-bargy from people going on about dog attacks, and how people shouldn’t get pets if they don’t want them scared by fireworks, and they should be allowed to do what they like. Well, the arseholes who set off bangers next to 6-month-old foals think they should be allowed to do what they like, too.

So by that logic you probably do know people who think pets are better than children or that fireworks should be banned to save a dogs feelings, but they don’t say that to you IRL because they don’t want to offend or upset you.

I agree. There should be no selling of fireworks to the public. Too many irresponsible people, usually teenagers, get hold of them. Every year there are casualties because of stupid behaviour.
Public displays, as you say, are a good option.

Your poor grandad

I have never felt the need to burn my money in fireworks, I did as a smoker for a while but that was over 12 years ago now.
Silent organised displays are the only sensible solution. Why do the firework people have a problem with that?

The noise is part of what people enjoy and value, which means solely silent displays is not one of the options we are currently choosing from. In the same way that modifying pet ownership models in order to be less environmentally disastrous clearly isn't on the cards right now.

I mentioned upthread I'd like to see a move towards more organised displays, because although complaining pet owners don't have a leg to stand on here, there are actually good reasons to do that.

With that in mind, hopefully everyone understands that in order to meet the cultural demand, there'd need to be a lot more displays than there are now. There might be one in the park over the road from your (general) house when there isn't now, for example. And they may have to be subsidised or even free, in order to make them a more attractive option than purchasing one's own, because obviously there are often other costs associated with travelling to attend an event. We'd need a conversation about where the money for that is coming from. These are all things that would have to be got right, in order to effect change.

I have my doubts about completely silent fireworks because I think there needs to be at least a bit of audible warning that they’re going off. But no louder than a car engine.

As for displays where they weren’t happening before, my block was more or less surrounded by insanely loud fireworks going off for Diwali.

Sure, some people already live in an area with lots of fireworks. But when I talk about more displays, I'm not just talking about the amount of fireworks (which potentially might be reduced overall) but also the other issues around crowds and logistics which would inevitably affect people living closest to display venues. Different inconveniences.

I still think a cultural switch to more formal displays would be good, for safety reasons, but they're very much not a free lunch and we need to be aware of that.

I agree op.
It’s the same time every year.
Not exactly a surprise.
Get over it
Killjoys!

The noise is part of what people enjoy and value, which means solely silent displays is not one of the options we are currently choosing from.In the same way that modifying pet ownership models in order to be less environmentally disastrous clearly isn't on the cards right now. I mentioned upthread I'd like to see a move towards more organised displays, because although complaining pet owners don't have a leg to stand on here, there are actually good reasons to do that.

Completely agree @DontCallMeLenYouLittleBollix there needs to be some changes but for me that’s nothing to do with the “needs” of pets.

Yes this!! I don’t mind fireworks and we’re lucky our pets/kids are unbothered but fuck me it goes in for weeks now. Every night, weekdays…. Weekends from mid afternoon even when it’s not dark. No wonder people moan it’s become tedious!!

I could not care even slightly less about other people's pets. Or their precious children. I love fireworks.

That says alot about you tbh

I question whether these misanthropes who hate pets and people and probably life itself do really enjoy the fireworks.... This is coming from someone who has neither dogs nor children.

If there were silent fireworks or no fireworks then I don't see why people are wanging on about them having to make noise. They don't and the thing that most people object to around fireworks are the idiots that can't/won't/don't use them properly. Obvs stupid adults giving them to kids. The major one is the NOISE. They are louder in the last few years than they ever were in the past.
Most people and animals affected by them are because of the noise. Not the pretty light show bits.
I'd still prefer a licensed person with public liability insurance setting them off in an organised display but we can still work towards that.

I'm not a ban fireworks person, but it would be great to know that there'll just be fireworks on bonfire night so I know to keep my cats indoors on that night. Unfortunately, fireworks could be let off anytime in this period, so I'm not sure if it's a good idea to let my cats out for a wee or not for about a week.

I agree with that really. I enjoy fireworks but I think if you knew it was just one night, or certain dates throughout the year anyway, it would be easier to deal with your pets.

There 100% should be a warning for such a long firework display as a BARE MINIMUM. Just because it’s ’the weekend before bonfire night’ doesn’t give the excuse of distressing people with ptsd and animals/wildlife. All in all, you should go to a bonfire night event planned by a charity, scouting association,etc if you want to see a good display, with plenty of warning, out in a field, ON bonfire night. NOT in a tightly packed house development every night until January.

Then there needs to be change. Your mindset shows how much empathy you have as a person.

The mention of fields is interesting. I've mentioned a few times I'd like a cultural move towards more organised displays: people whining about their pets haven't got a leg to stand on, but that doesn't mean there aren't good reasons to do it.

However, the cultural enjoyment of fireworks is such that we cannot assume demand could be met by holding organised events solely in fields run by scouts and charities. It might have to be things like smaller parks in the middle of housing estates too. And also large events run by local authorities. It's also likely the weekends before and after would still need to see displays in order to meet demand.

This is exactly it. "The weekend before bonfire night" is not bonfire night. How hard is it to give your neighbours a bit of a warning, especially when there's already a Facebook group for exactly that purpose?

Diwali is just as valid a reason as Bonfire Night nowadays - in fact it was far noisier locally on Diwali. So have organised displays for both, but make both of them quiet.

Killjoys? Really? Scaring horses, dogs, cats, wildlife, terrifying the elderly and people either disability s, people with dementia. That's not being a kill joy. That's people being angry that people who set of fireworks night after night think it's ok, that people should just put up with it. Why you your enjoyment come before the well fare of other people and animals?

For dogs there are behaviour training techniques to help your dog to feel comfortable around loud noises - which is helpful for more than just fireworks- it might be effort but if you have a dog surely you take the responsibility of teaching them to live in the world that we do beyond just whether they soil your carpet or irritate you - it is not just about teaching them to make your life easier.