To not get the problem with fireworks and pets

[SoldTheMovieRights]

There's fireworks going off next door but one and I can hear them, but just some small popping noises really and barely audible when we had the telly on earlier.

It's never been loud enough to wake or disturb DC.

However, local Facebook group for my village is full of posts complaining about fireworks and how they are traumatising pets. AIBU to not get it? If they are too quiet to disturb people why are they so bad for dogs (who would all be inside in the evening anyway?)?

Lots of people wanting them banned because of their dogs but I just don't get it, at worst it's a few mins of noise, a few nights a year, is it really that awful?

I have zero skin in the game as could never be bothered to do fireworks myself, but if my neighbours fancy it, crack on, I'll enjoy the show.

No I'm doing it because I have saved more than one pet who was abused in their previous home and would have probably have been put to sleep if I hadn't taken them in - not just because I want "some cats".

I said before that I'm vegan BTW. Are you? If you aren't you're a hypocrite for calling me out for having pet cats

You could argue everything we do is selfish. Own a car, eat more than our basic calorific needs, go on holiday, own more than one set of clothing, watch TV, own electronics, heat our homes, buy gifts, eat meat, decorate our homes,

why single our pet ownership? I could argue back that my cat is a rescue. She now lives primarily indoors and rarely hunts. So I have reduced her kill count!

Throwing this out there: Oslo banned New Years fireworks to protect wildlife and pets.
To those denying and not giving a shit about the distress fireworks are causing to pets, farm animals and wildlife: look up cctv videos online, there are plenty. If you can watch utterly terrified animals bolting with nowhere to go without it making you stop and think then there's something serious wrong with you (for example horses or farm pigs or pets at a rescue centre).
Can people really not understand what sheer terror feels like? And the helplessness that goes with it? That it what it feels like to some animals.
Why can't we have quieter fireworks, what's so difficult about it. They still look pretty. What's the problem?

Yes, absolutely there are loads of things we do that are selfish, and pet ownership is just the same as the others. That's entirely my point. Which is why I didn't single out pet ownership at all and explicitly bracketed it in with other selfish behaviour such as fireworks and eating meat if you don't need to for health reasons. They're all examples of things people do for their own pleasure despite the negative externalities.

As for your cat, not really, as she's likely to live longer with you than she would wild.

Because this poster seems to have an issue that cats eat pet food. My cats actually do eat vegan cat biscuits. Not because I'm trying to impose a vegan lifestyle on them - I'm not. But because they like them. One of my cats is fussy around biscuits and won't eat any other kind.

This poster is just arguing with me for the sake of it. I've been vegan for decades. I don't drive. I wear second hand clothes - but I'm selfish because I have indoor cats and want silent fireworks

No bother

It’s something dog owners are just gonna have to deal with. They chose to bring a dog into a human world.

I dont get the drama that people make about their pets and fireworks either OP. its not like people didn't know it was NYE therefore fireworks will be going off. Keep pets indoors. My cats aren't particularly bothered by them as far as I can tell. They probably would be if outside but we always keep them in when its dark anyway.
And all those moaning - did you watch the fireworks on the telly at midnight? If so youre a hypocrite. People in London have pets too.
I used to work at Tower Hill. If you think the fireworks are loud you should hear when they do a 21 gun salute from the Belfast!

The first paragraph is simply an explanation of why you want some cats. You decided it was better for them to stay alive and consume resources. That was a choice.

And no I'm not vegan. Note that I could lie here and you wouldn't have any way of knowing, but I'm being honest so I can spell out to you exactly why you're the hypocrite and I'm not.

I don't have any problem with people doing selfish things that harm others for their own pleasure, be that loud fireworks, unnecessary meat or cats whose food damages the environment. That's not what I'm criticising. I'm slagging off people who think their selfish priorities and enjoyment are somehow off limits whilst others should make sacrifices. You don't get to decide something is important enough for other people to make sacrifices but not you.

Thanks for those who have taken the time to give considered responses.

I have to say that I still don't recognise any of the war zone descriptions, so maybe I have been very lucky to have all my houses/flats very well insulated from sound, or maybe all my family has hearing issues! Even the proper displays I've gone to haven't sounded like bombs going off (in fact, in the most recent one, DC decided to take ear defenders off as they weren't that loud).

So it seems that the volume is very variable, as well as the frequency (one PP said every week during the summer which certainly has never been my experience).

Still doesn't explain why people in my local area are complaining so much when we don't seem to get the house shaking ones, or have them so often, but perhaps they have particularly sensitive animals.

Alternatively people could just be sensible and not let fireworks off that sounds like mortar bombs and make the whole house shake?

People don't need dogs but they don't need fireworks either. And it's so anti-social at midnight when a lot of people are in bed asleep.

If you want fireworks, go to a organised display.

Stay alive and consume resources - what a ridiculous take. Particularly given that you aren't vegan and eat meat yourself.

Maybe if you lived where I do -in a built up residential area. You might have an understanding of why I'm not so keen on fireworks

Because it's not just November 5th

It's the week before. The week after. It's Chinese new year. It's when Glasgow Rangers beat Glasgow Celtic. It's Diwali. It's New years eve. As I type there are people setting off fireworks just now.

I actually have ptsd too and fireworks do cause distress to some people with ptsd

You can slag me off all you like. You're the person who brought pet ownership into this

I'll actually get to decide what I like. You don't control my opinion

The quiet pops dont bother my (rescue) dog but the very loud bangs do and there are a lot of those. Clearly, your neighbours are more considerate than mine if they limit themselves to quiet pops. Last night they started at around 7pm and were still going at 2am. 7 hours, not just a few minutes. That's a long time for an animal to be stressed.

This. They started at midnight last night and went on for an hour where I am. Really loud and a street away from a row of pensioners houses

And that are clearly too large to be set off in the tiny gardens of a housing estate.

I think you’re being particularly disingenuous OP, especially when it comes to the impact on animals. My cat isn’t that fussed (was a bit agitated but nothing that couldn’t be resolved with some attention). But it’s also about the local wildlife, and they do suffer from the noise and the debris.

My friend has a dog that is really upset by fireworks. She is not the sort to pander to an over-anxious animal, she’s extremely pragmatic about its care. But when your best friend is crying and in fear, what do you do?

Organised displays are more than enough IMO, and even then I think we should pivot towards drone displays instead. Fireworks are so bad for the environment.

All.those saying organised displays are fine - they have much bigger fireworks with MUCH louder bangs than people have in their back gardens. How is that better? Is it just because they wont be right next to YOU'RE garden. So that's OK?

I think the people moaning are ridiculous to be honest. You can’t stop people celebrating in the way they please and in a way that isn’t illegal. Grow up guys!

The organised display in my area happens in a country park - and actually didn't take place this year because said park is having work done to it. Nothing to do with wanting the problem shifted somewhere else

People can do what they like. Own a dog, have fireworks displays. None are illegal ! It’s a personal choice

That's right. But I don't need to like fireworks that go on for two weeks outside my house. That's my personal choice

Maybe OP it’s a good thing people are more concerned about animal welfare now? And just because you don’t experience something doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. My dog and cats are fine but my friends pets shake the whole time, mess in the house, I’ve heard of some needing sedatives.

Also just read a BBC article which says:

in Rotterdam, a 17-year-old boy and 38-year-old man were killed in fireworks incidents. In Bielefeld, Germany, local police said two 18-year-olds died after setting off homemade fireworks.

Seems like the EU needs to step in with strict laws that we would hopefully also follow in the UK.

No, they can't do what they like. There is a social contract which says that you try not to inconvenience others with your lifestyle choices. It is perfectly possible to have a dog, train it well, and not impose it on other people.

Equally it is perfectly possible to go to a organised display and not let dangerous and noisy objects go off in your garden!

Not illegal does not mean that it is sensible.

Fireworks here started at 7.30pm and continued on and off until 12.30am. Our rescue dog could NOT be "distracted" No matter what we did.

And when it's on and off over 5 hours - just how much distraction do you think is possible? You get tge dog settled - loud explosions start again and the dog is a quivering wreck. You turn up the TV or music, but she (and we) can still hear the explosions. Dogs (and other animals) CANNOT be comforted. You CANNOT explain it to them. They're TERRIFIED.

FIVE. FUCKING. HOURS. And that was just last night.