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.

We did all this with our dog when she was a puppy and she’s still terrified. And she’s from a reputable breeder who exposed her to lots of sounds before we got her too.

I favour organised displays only and designated days. For New Year's Eve, you would know if they are going to happen locally and be able to plan accordingly.

Especially around November 5th, it's the randomness as to which day and time, and that it is several days, that makes it more difficult to reduce the impact on pets and indeed those with certain neurodiversities.

Dogs have more sensitive hearing than humans.

Mine pant as though they’re about to have a heart attack and scratch at doors to try & escape but yet they sound like pops to me too.

Not the only example of people using exaggerated language. Such as the overuse of 'devastated'.

We had booms loud enough to shake the house last night. They are incredibly loud. Gone are the days of a few rockets and a Catherine wheel in the back garden, these buggers sound like actual bombs.

Thankfully my elderly rescue is too deaf to hear them now but he knows somethings up as he's pacing around. I think he can smell them.

Its not just the household pets, what about squirrels, hedgehogs, foxes, bats, badgers, rabbits, bugs and creepy crawlies? They must all be terrified. Literally no one's life would be ruined by banning fireworks for public use, but every year animals suffer and die because of them.

I am autistic and was attacked with fireworks as a teenager. Fucking hate the things. It’d be less bad if it was a few days a year only, but it’s months.

I don’t think we should stop them because of a small percentage of the population dislikes then or for a few animals. Lots of things I don’t like and I’m not demanding everyone to stop doing them!

I swear they are louder than they have ever been. We’ve had similar in our village. I had to give my dog meds in advance but he’s still scared. Expected them at midnight but someone had a “professional “ display from their garden at 10pm that freaked out most of the village animals - not too close to us but next door to a field with 4 calves in it. Just thoughtless not to warn people.

Obviously, not everyone is on social media but they soon appeared (apparently drunk) to bad mouth anyone who had dared to say their pets/livestock/horses were petrified.

I don’t think we should necessarily ban but I think there should be a certain sound level that is allowed for sale, at least to the public.

Fortunately my dog isn't bothered by fireworks. But some of the noisy fireworks are ridiculous...I got woken up by what sounded like cannon fire in the early hours

Fireworks are far bigger and louder and go on for much longer than previously. Its not just pets, its horrific for wild life, elderly folk, those who have served in war zones etc.
I wouldnt be too bothered if they were banned permanently tbh

Our dog wasn’t bothered either until she was around 5yrs. All changed when out on a walk and some moron let off fireworks in daylight. Daylight. Now a few years on she is terrified and her fear gets worse every year. I’ve contacted professionals, you can’t train it of them at this point. Last night fireworks started here from 4pm and went on and off until 2am. Dog was either frozen in fear hiding or panting and drooling and trying to dig through the floor. We can’t go out, we are stuck in the house with music blaring all night to try and cover the booms. It’s bloody stressful. I think we’ll have to get sedation liquid next year. How people don’t have empathy for anything outside their own lived experience blows my mind.

I'd favour only permitting licensed shows.

My idiot neighbours decided to go and set some off in the street outside our house at 7.30pm. We live in a very built up area - a street of terraced houses. They appeared to be proper firework display fireworks not teeny little rockets.

Fireworks went on all evening and one of my dogs was petrified all evening, shaking and shivering. The other appeared unbothered. At midnight I was really worried about him (we are in zone 2 London so he had a lot of fireworks to deal with!).

What a weird post. They’re loud and dangerous. Personal use should be banned.

I'm in two minds about this. Part of me thinks that fireworks are nothing new, have been around for ages, and so pets and their owners are just going to have to deal with this aspect of the modern world. Or just don't get pets if you're going to get bent out of shape when the world doesn't change to fit round you, because it won't. So while the OP is being a bit solipsistic saying 'It's not a problem for me so how can it be a problem for anybody else', my response to the fact that it is indeed a problem is - to a large extent - 'So what?'.

However I also wouldn't shed a single tear if fireworks were banned, but that's because they can be a complete pain in the arse...for people (and animals that aren't pets for that matter).

I have a cat who gets a bit jumpy, and one who we have seen go into a blind panic and just runs when she hears them. She doesn’t look where she’s going, she just runs. She recently had a major operation and is still recovering, if she did that she would do some serious damage to herself so we’ve had to totally drug her up which she could do without.

Dogs hearing is four times more sensitive than ours. Would you like a fire cracker to go off next to your ear with no warning? I bet you'd be a little upset if it did.

I prefer dogs to fireworks but I'm sure that our huge dog population is far more harmful to wildlife than fireworks. Dogs certainly scare plenty of people and animals. Dogs also kill more people and animals than fireworks do. I think both dog ownership and fireworks could be more restricted.

I’m so so sorry, that’s awful.

Super imposed?

Nothing has worked that we’ve had from the vet. Nor have all the OTC products we’ve tried, special clothing, plug ins, sprays. Desensitisation training hasn’t been successful either.

So please do fuck off.

Twice a week through the summer from nearby towns. Bearable as far enough away and only for a few minutes.

Then they started before Halloween and went on until mid November. I suspect the weather being bad extended this as some nights it was too wet/windy.

A brief break and then they started again before Xmas eve. Just random ones going off that you can’t predict.

Last night they went on for many hours. The dog wouldn’t go in the garden to have a wee all night. We have tried literally everything we can but we still have a distressed, anxious, barking and pacing dog. Her throat sounds hoarse from all the barking and her heart was racing.

Neither my cat or my dog bat an eyelid OP so it doesn’t bother me either.
Apparently some people’s pets get quite stressed.

It is the number of days per year that fireworks are let off, that exacerbates the problem.
I can understand 5/Nov and can stretch it to the weekend before and after, but now it’s also New Year, and weeks before Christmas, and random dates throughout the year.
It doesn’t allow for anyone to take avoiding action.

Having lived most of our lives in towns, we now live in a quiet downland village and the fireworks have been mental here, on the lead up to Christmas.
I know I am seeking Unicorns, but if there were set dates, people could still have fun without destroying the peace indiscriminately.