Is It Time to Ban The Public Sale of Fireworks? Have Your Say The RSPCA is one amongst a growing collection of voices demanding a government clampdown on the sale of fireworks to the public in the wake of another increase in pets and animals injured in the run up to bonfire night. K9 Magazine wants your views on the (literally) explosive subject of fireworks and pets. Do you think it's time the Government stepped in and made fireworks illegal?Between Friday 4 November 2005 and Sunday 6 November 2005, 255 calls were made to the RSPCA's cruelty hotline.
Reported incidents included:
* A cat believed to have died after having fireworks tied to it.
* Two tethered horses were seen rearing up and galloping in circles due to loud fireworks being set off nearby.
* Children were seen throwing fireworks at a tethered horse.
* A gull was rescued after being injured by firework
* A terrified horse escaped from the field where it was tethered and was running loose in a street.
* A hedgehog needed veterinary treatment after being hit by a firework.
* A Canada goose was injured when it was hit by a firework.
The Society firmly believes the increasing number of incidents proves the government should do more to combat the suffering fireworks cause animals.
Andrew Meads of Safewings Wildlife Conservation Projects is also calling for legislation. He writes:
How tragic the firework incident at Wicksteed Park, Kettering Northamptonshire on November 5th 2005 where 11 people were injured some quite seriously.
It proves that even when experts handle explosives accidents and tragedies can happen and even isolated cases do not excuse or reduce the dangers from people being in close proximity of explosives, namely fireworks.
The finger of blame must point towards the Government as we have seen safety issues and public liability go out of the roof.
Conker fights have been deemed dangerous, Councils have in some areas removed hanging baskets for fear of injury, trees that are aged have been raised to the ground in fear of accidents yet the public can go out and readily purchase explosives from sweet shops and supermarkets through to Garden centres. They can freely set them off in their gardens all year round from 7am to 11pm and at certain times even longer. The public need no Liability Insurance and are above reproach even when they traumatise or injure animals by their activities.
How strange that we need licences to drive, own a gun and even need a Licence to use a fishing rod, yet we can freely use explosives, regardless of the consequences with out even a simple requirement such as being competent!.
I suffered a neighbours` two hour firework display on November 4th 2005 causing one of my birds to become badly injured due directly to these fireworks. I reported this to the Police only to be told that “ People are well within their rights to use fireworks on their own property and unfortunately if animals are traumatised, injured or killed as a result nothing can be done.”
Ironically a lady from the Northants area had a few cockerels in her garden and simply because they crowed in the morning a neighbour complained and she had to remove them or face possible eviction. Now this most certainly is double standards at work.
Even as far back as 1911 the Protection of Animals Act states it is an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any animal. This very act will be updated in the new Animal welfare Bill but still apparently will leave firework revellers above reproach and the law, even if they cause suffering, injury or death to pets.
Fox hunting was a past time undertaken on private land and although deemed by some to be cruel entertainment it did actually serve a purpose, controlling a pest species. It was banned under the title of cruelty by causing unnecessary suffering. Yet fireworks do just that but in significantly higher proportions and unlike hunting, has no closed season.
Furthermore the use of fireworks also directly affects wildlife, especially throughout the breeding season where loud bangs and flashes can see birds ( some of which are already endangered ) desert their nests off eggs or young. Unless this issue relating to fireworks is addressed by this Government in this Parliamentary term and fireworks withdrawn form public use the new Animal Welfare Bill will become even more of a political farce.
Reported incidents included:
* A cat believed to have died after having fireworks tied to it.
* Two tethered horses were seen rearing up and galloping in circles due to loud fireworks being set off nearby.
* Children were seen throwing fireworks at a tethered horse.
* A gull was rescued after being injured by firework
* A terrified horse escaped from the field where it was tethered and was running loose in a street.
* A hedgehog needed veterinary treatment after being hit by a firework.
* A Canada goose was injured when it was hit by a firework.
The Society firmly believes the increasing number of incidents proves the government should do more to combat the suffering fireworks cause animals.
Andrew Meads of Safewings Wildlife Conservation Projects is also calling for legislation. He writes:
How tragic the firework incident at Wicksteed Park, Kettering Northamptonshire on November 5th 2005 where 11 people were injured some quite seriously.
It proves that even when experts handle explosives accidents and tragedies can happen and even isolated cases do not excuse or reduce the dangers from people being in close proximity of explosives, namely fireworks.
The finger of blame must point towards the Government as we have seen safety issues and public liability go out of the roof.
Conker fights have been deemed dangerous, Councils have in some areas removed hanging baskets for fear of injury, trees that are aged have been raised to the ground in fear of accidents yet the public can go out and readily purchase explosives from sweet shops and supermarkets through to Garden centres. They can freely set them off in their gardens all year round from 7am to 11pm and at certain times even longer. The public need no Liability Insurance and are above reproach even when they traumatise or injure animals by their activities.
How strange that we need licences to drive, own a gun and even need a Licence to use a fishing rod, yet we can freely use explosives, regardless of the consequences with out even a simple requirement such as being competent!.
I suffered a neighbours` two hour firework display on November 4th 2005 causing one of my birds to become badly injured due directly to these fireworks. I reported this to the Police only to be told that “ People are well within their rights to use fireworks on their own property and unfortunately if animals are traumatised, injured or killed as a result nothing can be done.”
Ironically a lady from the Northants area had a few cockerels in her garden and simply because they crowed in the morning a neighbour complained and she had to remove them or face possible eviction. Now this most certainly is double standards at work.
Even as far back as 1911 the Protection of Animals Act states it is an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any animal. This very act will be updated in the new Animal welfare Bill but still apparently will leave firework revellers above reproach and the law, even if they cause suffering, injury or death to pets.
Fox hunting was a past time undertaken on private land and although deemed by some to be cruel entertainment it did actually serve a purpose, controlling a pest species. It was banned under the title of cruelty by causing unnecessary suffering. Yet fireworks do just that but in significantly higher proportions and unlike hunting, has no closed season.
Furthermore the use of fireworks also directly affects wildlife, especially throughout the breeding season where loud bangs and flashes can see birds ( some of which are already endangered ) desert their nests off eggs or young. Unless this issue relating to fireworks is addressed by this Government in this Parliamentary term and fireworks withdrawn form public use the new Animal Welfare Bill will become even more of a political farce.
