Fireworks Disasters: Tell Us Your Story
Many holiday events that will end with a bang—fireworks, that is—may be entertaining for people, but they are not nearly as much fun for animal companions or wildlife. Animals’ hearing is far more sensitive than ours, and unpredictable and deafening blasts from fireworks can cause them immense pain and fear and even damage their hearing.
Dogs, cats, birds, and other animals often become frightened and confused by the noise, causing them to panic and attempt to flee—frequently with devastating results. Many holidays end in tragedy when alarmed animals break out of screen doors and fenced yards and become lost or are hit by cars. Fireworks are just as disastrous to wildlife. Since pyrotechnic displays produce high-particulate emission-laden plumes, birds, who have sensitive respiratory systems, often choke when caught in or near pyrotechnic blasts.
Such horrifying stories are not restricted to nonhuman animals. Every year, bystanders and professional fireworks operators are injured and killed in fireworks-related incidents. Some displays have even ignited fires that have damaged property and habitat.
Holiday stories involving lighting displays don’t need to end in horror. This is because there are safer, affordable alternatives to fireworks that are just as magnificent and festive. Laser and light shows can give families, including their animal companions, real cause to celebrate.
Do you have a story about how fireworks ruined your holiday celebration? Or any ideas for how cities can light the sky with less bang and more cheer? Please enlighten us by leaving a comment …
January 7th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
I remember reading a story while in North Carolina two summers ago. It was about the ban on fireworks in the area. During a 4th of July celebration, a family dog found a firework that did not discharge right away - until it went off in his mouth. The family lost their dog due to the carelessness of others. I’m glad they ban them now, not only on the beaches, but on the private properties as well.
January 8th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Harvey, one of our beautiful rescued dogs, trembles, shakes, pants excessively and hides behind any large pieces of furniture when the fireworks go off in our neighborhood. A horse in our neighborhood died from fright on one July 4th night. I would love to see the fireworks banned in our area. It’s a battle with the resident “Yee-haaw’s”. But it is still definitely something to work on.
January 8th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
I was on my way out in the car one Halloween when I heard some weird crackling noises from the backyard. I went back to look and found a large evergreen in flames. The neighbours had been shooting off fireworks from their sundeck. One hit the tree. That wasn’t the scariest part. The tree was right beside our shed where we keep the lawnmower — and plastic canisters of gasoline. And the shed was adjoining a wooden fence which adjoined both houses. Could have been ugly. Fireworks are, well, like playing with fire.
January 9th, 2009 at 1:03 am
Having worked as a companion animals ranger, I have worked a number of new years days,my main duties were rescuing dogs who had panicked and become lost due to fireworks and returning them to their families, the other part of my duties was attending to dogs who had died also due to fireworks ( some in horrendous circumstances ) and trying to comfort the owners after having i.d.ed the body of their canine companion. I have three dogs and never ever go out or if I am working swap shifts or take the night off when I know fireworks are going to be used. I have seen first hand the suffering caused by fireworks and I have heard too many people say, but we thought he / she would be o.k.
January 9th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
I remember when I was about five years old, I went to a fair with my grandparents. It was quite far out of town with many farms near by. One of the fireworks went sideways instead of up and hit a cow. It was quite horrifying. Poor thing.
January 17th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
I lost my heart dog due to fireworks. The kids in the neighborhood were playing with fireworks the day before 4th of july. I went to the store to get my dog some rescue remedy or something to calm her down. She was in the house safely in a room with child proof baby gates. I forgot to close the dog door. When we got home she was gone. She jumped over the gates and then jumped over our deck. After looking for her all night and morning, we found her dead on the turn pike. All because someone was being irresponsible and playing with ilegal fireworks. She was the best dog ever.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
I’ve lived in Hawaii for 40 years and the only thing I dislike here is the use of personal fireworks and the effect on animals. This past January 1st I was saddened to go walking with my visiting granddaughter and find a small dog dead on the road about four houses from home. He had no identification so we called the local Humane Society for help. Later that day my granddaughter spotted a poster on a pole and said “Grandma,that’s the dog we found”. It was and the phone call to the owner was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do.
February 2nd, 2009 at 2:02 pm
It was July 4th and we had a German Shepherd named Roxie. She chased anything that lit up (flashlights, laser pointers, etc.). And my neighbor lit one of the fireworks that fly sideways and spin; It Flew into our yard, Roxie chased it, it burned on hole in our trampoline and Roxie jumped on the trampoline causing it to break. She got hit with one of the springs. It cut her, but she didn’t get seriouly injured. Thank god.
February 2nd, 2009 at 3:01 pm
At a celebration at a cottage when I was younger, my Dad did an amazing job of lighting the fireworks very safely-for the humans. Unfortunately, one of the dogs managed to get out during the show. We did not realize until he had run very far away, through the forest. We luckily found him on the roads, but he had seriously injured his back, displacing a spinal disc. The injury was serious and very painful to him for a very long time, if not for the rest of his life.
February 2nd, 2009 at 4:11 pm
My 11 year old rescued, beautiful black German Shepherd was terrified of fireworks his whole life and it got worse as the years went by. This past 4th of July I went to a ball game for a few hours, not knowing that my neighbors had planned the biggest fireworks ever (illegal) in our country neighborhood. Several of the neighbor’s horses escaped and had to be caught on the road,several dogs were lost, and my dog chewed the doorways in my house through the wood to the drywall. His gums were bleeding and he was so distraught when I got home. I felt so bad for him. And for me, I still have not fixed the damage, it will be expensive to repair.
February 2nd, 2009 at 4:26 pm
I have to sedate my Newfoundland every 4th, new years and memorial day. We’ve tried all natural herbal tablets and spray to no avail, they work well on our Aussie and Norwich because as long as they’re near one of us they tend to stay somewhat calm.
Our Newfie on the other hand can’t be calmed, no matter how much I try to quiet and comfort him he whines and bolts from room to room like a caged animal about to be slaughtered. He has to be sedated for his own safety, I can’t tell you how many times he’s hurt himself. He tries to climb under everything, the toilet, beds, and will stop at nothing to get there. I hate doping him up, it tears me up inside, but what am I left to do?
I have to put deadly chemicals inside of my best friend, chemicals that I have no doubt were tested on other animals, just because some people can’t help but go out and buy illegal fireworks to set off in their front and or backyard. I have nothing against the public displays, they’re controlled if ran by professionals and they’re so far away that sure we can hear them from time to time but they’re nothing more than a jitter once in a while. Plus I don’t want to take away from anyone’s fun, I don’t understand it nor see the appeal but I also am not in a position to dictate to anyone what they can and can not do.
But the illegal stuff that goes on two houses away? And yes it’s illegal here but that never stops them. I don’t want to ever wish ill will onto my neighbors but they sure do tempt me. And calling the police is out of the question, I know they have far better things to do than to knock some sense into the skulls of some people when it does no good any way.
The thing that bother me the most, they don’t care. They’re breaking the law openly, over the roofs of other people’s houses including my own. Into our back and front yards, leaving messes we have to clean up. Scaring the life out of our pets and placing them as well as our homes in danger.
My dogs will hold themselves until they become sick out of fear of going outside, I have to plan their bathroom breaks around my neighbors fireworks schedule. Can you imagine being so scared you won’t go to the bathroom? So petrified that you hold yourself to the point of throwing up? It’s not fair in any way what so ever, because they can’t control themselves we’re left to suffer in silence and misery.
February 2nd, 2009 at 6:38 pm
My family and I were at my Oma’s house for the 4th of July party she has every year. That year we decided to bring our dogs Buddy and Diesel. It was late around 9 and I was hanging outside with all of my cousins and the fireworks started… all of a sudden we heard a crash and a splash (my oma has a pool). We all ran to the backyard and saw my aunt in the pool my mom soaking wet outside the pool and our dogs with a VERY guiltly look on their faces! At that point we went home so the dogs wouldnt soak anymore people!
February 2nd, 2009 at 11:58 pm
Many years ago, when I was still a young girl, my first dog, Sheba, a beautiful, friendly German Shepherd became spooked by the fireworks on Fourth of July, and jumped a six-foot fence! We had moved out to a rural area, and our dogs(we had several German Shepherds-all sweet-natured, great dogs)were kept both indoors(daytime), and outside(night-time–we lived in Central Florida, and had a good fence and had nice, clean, home-made-doghouses outside for the dogs, too). Sheba and her son, Hans, not only jumped the fence, but jumped a second fence that surrounded our property, and both were hit by cars on US Hwy. 301. Sheba died immediately; Hans lived, but suffered pain for awhile. We were devastated by the loss of beautiful Sheba. We’d always been careful in our raising of her, and had treated her with love and respect. She should not have died like that.
This past Fourth of July, here in Georgia, I attended a big celebration in a town square near Atlanta. There was a young couple with a large, sweet-faced dog, that trembled and barked and tried desperately to escape from under the bench she lay under, each time fireworks would go off.
Since it was too late to ask her to take the dog to a quiet area(thousands of folks running around, it was nightfall, and fireworks already begun),I walked over and explained gently to the girl, “I think your dog may need your comfort during this. Do you know why she’s behaving like this?” She answered, “No, she loves people. I don’t understand what’s wrong with her.” I explained:
“Many animals become very frightened when fireworks are set off. It’s very loud and scary.”
“Really? I had no idea, I mean, I’m here with her…” was her response.
Each time the dog began trying to run, and crying, she praised the dog, and began stroking and holding her. I corrected the well-meaning woman, and said “You know, you may want to hold her once she lies down, and is still. Reinforce the good behavior, the calm-er behavior immediately, and praise her, saying ‘good girl’ once she does as you ask, and keep stroking her fur, and telling her ‘good girl’, especially when it gets loud or scary, as this will alleviate her fear a bit, and reinforce that she’ll be okay.”
After a few moments, her new pup did calm down, but it was quite obvious the dog was still frightened, and the volume of the noise was too much for ANY animal.
The young woman did tell me she’ll “…never bring a dog out to a loud event again.” and that is as it SHOULD be.
Don’t EVER take your dogs out to events like this. It’s NOT fun for them, it’s truly frightening for them.
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:45 am
I live in Spain and work for a local shelter. Every year we get many calls from frantic owners because their dogs have run off during firework displays and when people throw firecrackers. Spain is a country in which these explosives are used during many holidays and fiestas, and just for fun, too. Last year I spied a very thin dog hanging out across the road from where I live. I approached him and asked around and people said he was “just a stray”. Some kind people on holiday had started to feed him, but they had to return to their home the next day. I suggested they take the dog to the vets to have a scan for a microchp, and sure enough, the dog had an owner. Upon contacting the relieved owner they told the story of how the dog took fright during the fireworks, and had run off. The dog had been missing for 3 weesks. This is a sad story that we hear over and over again, but fortunately this one had a good ending.
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:34 am
Our little dog was cared for during the day when we were at work. Some childdren, for a ‘laugh’ set off bangers outside the house, Harry, the dog, bit his way through the said of the window, jumped out and ran for some 6 miles. He was on a dual carriageway. A policeman was driving on the other wide, when he saw Harry he sped to the next roundabout, turned on to Harry’s side of the road, but before he could get there Harry was hit twice by cars.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:49 pm
I went over my aunt’s house for the 4th of july a few tears back and while we were watching the show one of the pyrotecnic nightmares vered off course and hit me in the leg! I had a nasty bruise and a small burn working up but my aunt’s friend’s cat was so scared she hid in the garage and wouldn’t come out.
February 5th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
I live across the street from a public park that has a firework show to celebrate the New Year. For the past two years, since I moved in, it sounds like bombs are going off outside my front door on New Years. Both of my dogs, Jack & Indi, are terrified of the noise, even when they’re inside with me.
The first time it happend I found Indi, a medium sized hound mix, wedged into the space between my bathtub and toilet with her head behind the toilet bowl. She was so scared she was shaking. I feel so awful every time it happens. The past two years I’ve shut all of us in my room, and we sit together until it’s over.
February 6th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
Please look at this website for a CD that can be played for your pet, first quietly, then gradually louder, with positive re-inforcement from you, in order to gradually desensitize them to the sound of fireworks before the next 4th of July: http://www.hanaleipets.com/index.cfm?action=cat.productOptions&productID=70871&categoryid=2892
February 10th, 2009 at 9:29 pm
My story is not pet related, but it shows how dangerous fireworks can be. It’s not a complicated story. Pretty much, the firework that my brother lit went the wrong way and started a huge grass fire. My dad’s leg got severely injured on barbed wire because he was in a panic to put out the fire and didn’t watch where he was going. Luckily, we live a block from the fire station, otherwise it could have been really bad. Fireworks are dangerous and really, not that cool. You’ve seen them once, you’ve seen them all.
February 13th, 2009 at 8:56 am
We have two cats and rabbits that live in harmony. Now, one July 4th, our neighbors decided it would be funny to set off fireworks in the street. Our cats hid under my bed for three hours and my rabbits would barely come out of their hutch to be comforted. Every year, all the animals in our house are shaky and very scared, and I’m sick of it! Why is it not OK to scare humans in a mean way, but it is OK to do it to animals??????
March 1st, 2009 at 2:52 am
I have a story about fireworks the involes one of my cats. M Dad was liting fireworks in the back yard and are cats were in the house freaking out because of the nose. so I went inside so I could put the cats in the basment because my dad wasn’t about to stop liting fireworks for his 4th of july party because of my cats jumping out of there skin. so as I was opening the door my cat Squeakers comes running out of the house. I was able to catch him but my dad all ready lit another firework and when it went off Squeakers FREAKED! My arm was coverred in blood my favorite short was ripped and the worse was that Sqeakers was a white cat so his fur was stained red for a few days. Its been two years and I still have those ulgy scares on my arm. Squeakers and I only watch The fireworks on TV now.We find that much safer than the real thing.
March 14th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
over twenty years ago,on the fourth of july, our whole family was out and our beloved husky was home alone in the backyard. there were a lot of fireworks going around all over our city and even on our street and our husky ran away because he was probably scared and we never saw him again. we know he was scared cause EVERYTHING was closed up, but he still he found a way to get out and he NEVER ever strayed from us.
June 26th, 2009 at 11:00 am
we had an older dog that had been with us a long time. she always loved being with us and wanted to be with someone most of the time. my mom even wanted her outside for the longest time on fourth of july and fireworks have of course been band in denver for awhile. we always simply drove to another part of the city to buy our fireworks each year. each year when our dog was out she also wound up getting hurt. originally, she’d bark and bite at the fireworks and get burned. eventually my mom would put her on a leash to keep her away from the fireworks and eventually she’d once again end up in the house away from us which made both her and my mom sad.
my family fineally quit lighting them last year. our current dogs got burned by fireworks and lost some hair patches. i also temporarily was missing an eyebrow saveing a friend of my moms todler from running directly into the path of a lit firework.
June 26th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I have not called the police in the past when neighbors were lighting fireworks. But I guarantee you this year I will call the police. My four little Dachshunds will not have to be scared again by some unrespectful idiot who disobeys the law and frightens my dogs.
June 26th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Every 4th of July my husband & I always find animals, usually dogs that are terrified and have gotten out of their yards. We keep them until the owners can be notified. Then we try to educate the owners that fireworks are very scary for their animals.
I always carry food, water, leashes and a carrier in my car.
Please drive carefully.
Kim O.
June 26th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Our crazy neighbor has a party for 4th of July. Both times, it has been obnoxiously loud with the people, music, and then the fireworks. (Even living in the country, you never know who is going to clear cut the next door lot of all trees and vegetation - removing all wildlife - and plop their mansion right next to yours, overlooking your own private property.) The rescued and boarding horses at the farm next door were really upset by them, both parties 2 years in a row. One was so greatly distressed that one of the owners had to go into the stall to try to calm it down and prevent injury. We ourselves have a great bunch of heirloom breed free-ranging chickens - noise is not good for their own well-being. Summer parties and inconsiderate noise isn’t fair!!
June 26th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Thanks God my dogs Mila & Concha are fine but each time there are a celebration im my city, which is very often, there are a lot of fireworks and my poor dogs are so frightened that run under my bed, they are safe but the other street dogs? I’m worry about them!. I hope some day people in my city use another kind of fireworks such as laser and light shows and forget those terrible fireworks.
June 26th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Ever since I’ve had my dogs I’ve stayed home with them every Independence Day evening. I make it as calm and reassuring a time as I can. Both dogs, a Husky and a Lab/Rottie mix, are usually excitable and rambunctious, but when the fireworks start outside they both stay glued to me the entire time.
June 26th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
I live in Plano Texas and fireworks are “supposedly” banned. However, every year people let off fireworks in my neighborhood. The fireworks can be heard well before and continue for weeks after July 4. The fireworks sound like gunshots!
My concern is for the wildlife. I cannot bear to think of how terrifying the fireworks are to birds and other wild creatures, from squirrels to rabbits etc. People in this area can be very cruel with the wildlife and also their lack of concern about how fireworks panic dogs and cats.
Plano is very dry and the risk of fires starting because of these illegal fireworks is also a worry for me.
June 26th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
many thanks for the article. in my country Indonesia, people often use “petasan”, fireworks with shocking sound. it had been banned since years ago, but still people can buy it easily.
i always try to calm my dogs down by getting them into my bedroom when there’s a petasan party in our neigborhood.
June 26th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
I work at the local Humane Society. We do get in more animals around the 4th of July. Most of them are terrified dogs but cats are harder to find. It is an absolute truth that fireworks are hazardous to everyone…animals included. I dont understand how blowing up a bunch of money is exciting!
June 26th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Every year, “the Grove” shopping center in L.A. starts their Christmas holiday shopping season with extremely loud commercial fireworks. We live 3 miles from the Grove and it sounded like booms were coming from right outside our house, and called 911 because we thought it was gunfire. Two pets in our neighborhood were so spooked by the fireworks they ran away. I wonder how many other peopel who live around the Grove lost pets from their fireworks? When we called Grove’s V.P. Jennifer Gordon to complain, she just said “we had the proper permits” and hung up. She seems to care more about getting people to spend money at her shopping center than about pets. Bah Humbug, Jennifer! And, fireworks have nothing do with Christmas anyway.
June 26th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
I hate fireworks so much because of what it does to animals. I have a dog who is terrified of the stupid things. Unfortunately, we live in a town where they say that they’re banned but you always get some idiot who gets their hands on these things and sets them off in town.
By the time law enforecement gets to where they were set off the idiots have moved on.
These things are stupid and unnecessary. The terror caused to all animals is not worth the event.
June 26th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
I used to take my dog to the fire works in Ottawa but she was scared … howling and barking and trying to get away …. I have not had any mishaps. yet and we have being together for 13 years .. with canada day fast approaching missy will spend the day with use enjoying the water and friends and family .. when night falls she will be inside with her fav blanky and toy …. hope every other doggie out there has a safe and happy canada day …
June 26th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
I have three dogs and we all hate the 4th of July for all of the noise that goes on. I can say that this year so far has been quite. But wait, there is one more week till the fourth. Heaven help me, my three dogs, the other cats and dogs that rome the neighborhood and all the other poor creatures out there.
Last year a neighbors kid was throwing firecrackers at my dogs. Luckily my dogs did not suffer any harm other then sure fright. The only good think that came out of that night was the fire cracker went off in the kids face. Sorry to say he did not suffer any physical harm.
The move from the big city to the country looks better and better every day.
June 26th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Thanks for this. I’ll make sure not to use firework anymore! They’ve always terrified my dog…
Well, once when I was younger, one of our neighbors fireworks flew into our garden, and everything in it caught on fire and burned all the vegetables. x.x
June 26th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Hi, my friend-cat Gattino has arrived one year ago by my parent’s house. He was used to sleep on a comfortable bed full with warm old clothes. After New Year’s day, so after fireworks, my father says he was not anymore the same. He was always afraid of everything and he would not sleep anymore on his bed by my parents. He has kept going away and one day he has not come back. I hate this stupid fireworks. They are a waste of money, a danger for people, and they scare animals. My dog was terryfied by them.
I know a good thing, until they do not stop using them. I live in Dresden, Germany, and I have read that on request there is a person who take dogs out in a forest, away from the city, so that they can not hear the fireworks. I think it is a good idea, isn’t it? still, there are all the other poor animals…..
I want my cat back!!!!!!!!!!!
June 26th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
My poor Boder Collie is 11 and still goes crazy,wanting to climb up on tables when fireworks go off for some reason. My vet says it’s some sort of inbreded response and there’s no way to break him, and I believe him. I’ve tried everything up to buying a cd with sounds he hates, but the cd’s don’t bother him, just the real thing. Must have something to do with the decibels when recording???? I usually call the police,even on the 4rth, because they have a hugh display about a mile from my home I can drown out with the TV, but when they are next door, they are illegal, no matter what day it is. They usually do a good job of warning them, then write tickets. Check your local laws. Most residential neighborhoods don’t allow them,and are unlawful.
June 26th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Each July 4th my family and me go to a park in a city next to ours to celebrate. Each year, when we come back home, we ind Boo-Boo, our 5 year old dog, inside his little house, whimpering, trembling, scared.
This is going to be Jasper’s [my cat] first July 4th since he’s with us, I hope it doesn’t affects him more than Boo-Boo. Having to come home to comfort ONE of my pets is just enough.
If there is an alternative for fireworks, it would be great if my city can take that instead fireworks. ^___^
June 26th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
I work daily with Animal Control and Rescue Officers, therefore, I totally understand how devastating and frightening fire crackers and other means of celebration can be for our innocent animals. I hope people out there that are sensitive to god’s creatures will keep the above messages in mind and give our beautiful animals the respect they truly deserve.
June 26th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
Fireworks are dangerous..PERIOD. polluting the air and the water. It creates unnecessary noise and unnaturally interferes with nature. I think we have enough noise in this world, cellphones, TVs, cars, trucks, planes….who needs them..only thing good about them is the colors. They scare pets and outside animals…With all the electronics in the world today, you think someone could invent a colorful, spectacular event without all the other nonsense.
June 27th, 2009 at 11:21 am
I’ve had a mixed breed medium size dog for years who has always been scared of the fireworks she would cry and try to hide. I stay home with her every fourth of july and tried different things (Medications and ‘natural supplements) and last year a friend recommended that I get a medical cannabis card under proposition 215 (I live in california) and get my dog treats that contain medical cannabis butter. I tried them and they worked like a charm and only cost $10 for a bag of peanut butter biskets that were more than enough. She was so calm for that years fireworks she was practiclly asleep. I was glad that it relieved her of such a stressful situation. She stayed on my lap relaxed and happy. If you live in california or another state that has legalized cannabis for medical reasons should look into it. It is less harmful to the dog than tranquilizers, or anxiety attacks.
June 27th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Dogs are not the only ones who don’t like the booming and banging. I had a bird that was always scared he would go to the bottom of the cage and rock back and forth. Then he would go back up in between the bangs and when he would start back up I could hear him fall to the bottom of his cage I would always tell him to relax but it would never work.
I know a lot of people think it is silly for me to express this but they have feeling to and he just didn’t like it at all.
In fact all of them didn’t but he was effected more than any of them.
June 27th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Cannot add any comments that have not been made yet. It is painful, every occassion “good” for fireworks, such as the XmAS SEASON to see how desperate our pets turn to be. I try to sedate them but doses have to carefully calculated an anyway they, unless by injection, do not do much effect. All my dogs, cat and parrot are driven crazy and so many others get lost in the highways and run over by cars. There is no way, even when they are illegal, to convince people to stop using fireworks, even when, living in the mountains as we are, these often cause dangerous unstopable wildfires.
June 27th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
I have nine cats. Where we live, every now and then some fireworks are set to celebrate religious dates, and all of my cats just freak out. One of them, a seven year old female, is terrified of thunderstorms. Imagine how she reacts when she hears the fireworks.
When I was like six years old, I saw an enormous, green firework set near some trees, and immediately, a flock of little brown birds fell off the tree and went flying away, some colliding with the others. It was midnight.
I feel sorry for those birds.
And I am angry towards ignorant people that don’t know how much fireworks affect all forms of life.
June 27th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
Here in a small town near Montreal, fireworks are legal. During recent celebrations, around the neighbourhood, you could hear the fireworks going off until all hours of the night.
At the time, I was a bit concerned, didn’t think anything of it, except that it was a good thing that the cats should be kept indoors.
A few days later, while out walking the dogs, I saw what looked to be a raccoon corpse, ravaged by maggots and, before that, who knows what crazy human being. It looked as if part of his/her body was burned. There was a raccoon here, eating food we put out for cats - a nursing mother. I still am so worked up about this, believing the body to be hers. Of course, no matter who this being was,or even whether or not s/he was burnt after being hurt in another way, it was a shock to see the harm that firecrackers cause on wildlife.
June 28th, 2009 at 12:06 am
A next door neighbor’s 20-ish year old nephew tossed a fireworksmissle directly at our 120 poundAkita and hit himwith it (a child across the street saw it happen and told us)…we raised hell with the neighbors, but luckily “INU” was not injured….but he was so scared of loud noises that if a car would backfire, he’d shake all over and hide; for the rest of his life…so sad to see such a huge proud, gentle animal as him traumatised for life by the meanness of others.
When I was a very young girl, my great-grandmother had a metal hook instead of one of her hands….60 years ago, when she was 19 years old she blew her hand OFF with a firecracker she was holding…..
Seems there are better ways to celebrate a holiday, in my opinion. We have 7 rescue dogs (our “children”)….on the 4th of July we always stay at home and keep them indoors with us and try our best to keep them calm…..Lori
June 28th, 2009 at 11:31 am
I had grown to detest the 4th when I knew i would have to spend all my time trying to comfort my dog. People have no respect as to when and where they set off fireworks and it goes on for days. Relief finally came when my dog went deaf in his old age.
June 28th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
The Calgary Stampede is coming soon, and every year there are hundreds of incidents involving animals due to the fireworks shows every single night. Some of the horrific accidents I’ve seen because of the fireworks are caused by guardians who have no foresight to ensure their animals are properly protected. We know the fireworks are coming every night, at the same time during those 10 days, yet some people just don’t use their heads.
For me, the Stampede is 10 days of hell, not only because of the fireworks, but the rodeos, auctions, races and so forth, all involving animals - not to mention the traffic from the hundreds of thousands of visitors!
June 29th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
I’ve received 3rd degree burns on my arm due to a dangerous mix of fireworks and idiots. Right before my wedding, too…
Fireworks are illegal in my city, but are not so in neighboring counties so we still have tons of fireworks use all over the town. Of course, law enforcement considers this low priority, so nothing gets done about it. My dogs, cats and birds hate it. So do I.
June 29th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
My old Samoyed, Misty, used to be terrified of the firework displays held in our town and would crawl under the kitchen sink to get away. One year, my parents went away for the Fourth and put her in a kennel a few towns away (unable to find a dogsitter) and when they went to pick her up, her nose and paws were completely torn up from trying to dig into the cement floor to get away from the sounds. For the rest of her life we had to give her tranquilizers hours before the event, but they only made her sleepy and scared. Ever since then, we haven’t been too keen on donating to the fireworks drive.
June 30th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Fireworks aren’t safe at all. One 4th of July, we were lighting fireworks and one of them misfired and landed in my mom’s hair, catching it on fire. Luckily, she was alright. But it just goes to show that fireworks have no place in a safer, people/animal-friendly society.
July 1st, 2009 at 12:08 am
when wego down to our summer house… when our friends and family get together…we tend to get a little crazzy!… so my older brother and his friends go to a store and buy a whole wack of fire works. then they go on the beach line and set them off… We have a beautiful Chesapeake Bay retriever that gets scared easy enough as it is… and when he heard the loud bang for the first time… Almost jumped off the side of my deck… knowing how sensitive he was… i grabbed his collar just in time,, and patted his head and brought him down stairs in my room where it is a little bit quiter!
July 2nd, 2009 at 12:51 pm
also very toxic for the environment
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/translating-uncle-sam/stories/are-fireworks-bad-for-the-environment
July 2nd, 2009 at 12:51 pm
My dog is not afraid of fireworks. Since I live in India, there are so many stray dogs & they are very scared! Some companion dogs run away from homes to ‘escape’ the sounds of fireworks . . .
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:32 pm
When I was a child I lost my dog on the 4th of July. She was German Shepherd and she was terrified of fireworks. Every 4th of July we’d have to keep a very close eye on here to make sure she didn’t run too far when the fireworks went off. We lived on a very large piece of property with a lot of forest so she had plenty of places to go.
One year my parents and I went away for the day and the fireworks must have scared the dog because she was gone and we never found her. We were in a residential neighborhood and there were no official fireworks near by so it was likely people doing them in their backyard.
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:54 pm
My Dog loves them for some reason, unless were too close then i usually tie a bandanna around his ears to bury the sound-and hes okay with that.
i just dont like them because of the pollution.
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I have two dogs, a Boston Terrier “Rocky” and a Shih-Tzu “Bizkit”…Bizkit gets very anxious and tends to follow us around like a shadow during fireworks but poor Rocky feels the need to hide under furniture like beds and couches…unfortunately is isn’t very small and he doesn’t fit well…he often gets stuck and this results in pain and more panic…poor dog…stupid fireworks..
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:39 pm
One of our friends dog got so frightened he Jumped through a bathroom window an Close to decapitated himself, the neighbors did not care at all even though they(friends) Tried everything to protect them from the neighborhoods fireworks they failed sadly and the dog hung himself through the window… causing him to suffer a painful and horrible death..
Please don’t use fireworks!! Not at all! It harms animals!
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:35 pm
We were vacationing in PA and my boyfriend had fireworks. One went sideways and almost hit my 8 yr old son. It missed him by an inch because I was lucky enough to push him out of the way. It was going crazy and eventually hit my boyfriend in the leg which left a quarter size whole and huge bruise. Not an animal story but just shows how much damage could have been done all over 1 second of entertainment.
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:38 pm
My rescued dog, Lucky, is absolutely horrified of fireworks. When they go off he runs into my bathroom and gets in the tub or sits on top of me, which is sometimes more difficult then it sounds. It would be little better if he wasn’t a big dog. I have to find out the firework schedule just so i can plan to be home with my poor puppy. My other dog, a husky named Hercules, has no problems with fireworks, but that might be because he is not a rescue dog. Is it possible that it is something that rescue dogs go through because of something that happend in their past?
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:26 pm
My french poodle always freaks out whenever he hears the bangs from the fireworks. Frightened, he starts shaking and trembling without control, and disoriented by fear, he tries to get inside every closet in the house, or any other small place where he can fit. Thank God nothing really awful has happened, but it breaks my heart to see him so desperate and confused. He’s 11 years old now, and I fear that this can damage him in any way. That’s why I hate those things, it’s nonsense to ever use them.
Besides that, I’ve known tons of stories about people getting killed or injured with those things here in my country. A kid died when a stick from the fireworks fell from the sky and got into his brain. Also, a friend of mine almost lost some fingers once, he was cleaning his house yard, and he sees a little black box. Not knowing what it is, he picks it up and boom.. the thing exploded in his hand. Apparently it was something that fell off from the fireworks in the sky and landed in his yard. He had to have several surgeries in his hand, as he was really bad injured. So wrong! Those things are really dangerous.
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:57 pm
My poor dog is so scared of fireworks and we asked that out neighbors didn’t set them off on New Years eve and they came and set a bunch of firecrackers off right in front of our door. My dog tried to jump through the window. Needless to say, we called the police.
July 2nd, 2009 at 6:12 pm
I have two dauchsands that are terrified of fire works so we always stay home on the July 4th holiday. Not only are my two dogs scared to death but we have twin boys 14yrs that have special needs and they are frantic when they hear the pops and booms. They will lock themselves in the bathroom and this is even with ear plugs! I dread the holiday every year because of this.
July 2nd, 2009 at 6:29 pm
My dog absolutely loves fireworks!! They’re his favourite thing along with watermelons and unwrapping presents.
It would be crueler for us to keep him away from the fireworks. Even when you just light a match he gets excited!
July 2nd, 2009 at 7:38 pm
This Canada day one of the dumbest attractions in our Cornwall Ontario park was a petting zoo and pony rides!! All the noise and people must have been so stressing to them. It thunderstormed most of the day and freaked them out, i hope they were gone by the fireworks show. Animals get scared from fireworks and i know many veterans who also hate the noise. I’m sure theres much safer and better ways to enjoy holidays.
July 2nd, 2009 at 8:10 pm
I no longer have my golden retriever due to cancer however, she was terrified of fireworks. Fireworks are illegal in our city. Does it matter? Since I live on the coast people from the inland valleys come to the beaches to light their illegal fireworks. They leave their messes for residents to clean up and scare our children and pets with loud, obnoxious fireworks (and foul language). No use calling the police in this city. We’ve had to cut back since the recession so, no one ever comes to take care of the illegal activity. It isn’t only the fireworks either. I live next to college students that have no concept of a “family neighborhood”. Some of us live here year round and pay taxes and don’t want to have to listen to your loud parties EVERY weekend (sometimes on a weekday). The only time the police have come to shut down the party was when one of the guests was hit by a car driven by another drunk party guest. Yeah, they light off fireworks at these parties too. No matter what day it is. Everyday is the Fourth of July. GRRRR!
I have an old Queensland Heeler who is deaf so I know the fireworks won’t bother him this year. I’ll only have to worry about the cats this time.
July 2nd, 2009 at 8:44 pm
I HAD A CAT NAMED MONO, HES WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFULL CAT, HE MENT THE WORLD TO ME, HE WAS MY VERY FIRST PET, I HAD THE CHANCE TO HAVE HIM FOR ATLEAST THREE YEARS, UNTIL JULY 06 MY NEIGHBORS BOUGHT ALOT OF ILLEGAL FIREWORKS THAT MADE VERY LOUD EXPLOSIVE NOISES, LUCKLY I HAD LEARNED IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS NEVER TO LET MY CAT BE OUT WHEN 4TH OF JULY CAME AROUND, SO ON THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, I KEPT HIM INSIDE MY HOUSE, AT FIRST HE DIDNOT LIKE IT, BUT AFTER HE DIDNT BUDCH, ANYWAY, AFTER 4TH OF JULY ON THE NEXT DAY WE LET HIM OUT,CAUSE HE WAS REALLY USE TO B OUTSIDE, WELL SINCE THAT DAY HE NEVER CAME BACK, TILL THIS DAY I DONT KNOW WAT HAPPEN TO MY CAT, I MISS HIM SO MUCH TILL THIS DAY, MY QUESTION STILL REMAINS WAT HAPPEN TO MY MONO?, SO PLEASE LEARN FROM MY EXPERIENCE CHERISH YOR CAT, N B THERE WITH HIM, MAKE HIM FEEL COMFORTABLE N ITS OKAY,THEY R LIKE BABYS THEY DNT KNW WATS GOING ON? WELL THAT MY STORY
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:53 pm
we used to have 2 german shepherds, both rescue dogs, and our neighbours teen children used to get thier kicks out of scaring them… Cupid was the worst he used to escape our yard to get away, the older he got the more he’d freak out and one day they did it while we were out and Cupid never came home… we searched shelters for him and the neighbourhood for months… still no Cupid. To this day we don’t know what happened to him… he was the same with thunderstorms and think it had something to do with his previous owners… he was such a loving dog, literlly saved one of our kids falling down the stairs as a toddler…
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:48 pm
I remember one summer while i was visiting my family, someone was setting off firecrackers. This sent my dog into a frezy, luckily he was ok and he didn’t get loose. I try to always make sure my dogs are inside durring holidays when fireworks/crackers are present.
July 3rd, 2009 at 1:05 am
One of my friends dog jumped off her car and was run over by a truck. Apparently her pet got frightened due to the sound of the fireworks and jumped off the window.
July 3rd, 2009 at 3:53 am
SINCE I LIVE IN INDIA THE DIWALI CELEBRATIONS ARE DONE WITH A LOT OF FIREWORKS, WHICH ADDS TO A LOT OF NOISE POLLUTION AND STUFF AND THERES NO ESCAPE FROM IT.MY DALMATIAN, HAPPY, GETS VERY SCARED WITH ALL THE LOUD BANGS AND HIS HEART STARTS BEATING FASTER AND HE SHIVERS, I WANT PPL TO STOP DOIN THIS, BUT HOW CAN I PUT SENSE INTO THEM? I CANT HAVE NOSIE PROOF WALLS IN THE HOUSE AND I DREAD THE FESTIVAL! ITS EVEN DANGEROUS WHEN HE RUNS OUT ON THE TERRACE BARKING, COZ THOSE FLAMES OR ASHES CUD FLY N HIT HIM.
July 3rd, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Our little 13-year-old bichon is terrified to the point of panic over thunderstorms — even though he has no problem with the noise of New York City streets! Our vet, Dr. Bruce Lowenstein, who’s an amazing clinician and very resourceful, has a suggestion that a friend at PETA thought worth passing along to you. Before he puts our elderly dog on a tranquilizer, which can be difficult to time in advance of a storm and can affect his blood pressure, etc. he suggests we try something called the “Storm Defender” cape. No guarantee it will work for our dog but it’s said to work 70% of the time so he thinks it’s worth a try. We found it on line at stormdefender.com. Worth a try!
July 4th, 2009 at 8:01 am
My dog Bear is terrified of the sound that fireworks make, every year, 4th of July and New Years eve, when they start going off, she runs to me just shaking and in terror. She will cuddle right up to me, her whole body trembling. As long as I put a hand on her back, and give her some physical contact, she calms right down, knowing she is safe.
She does the same thing with thunder storms to, so it is the loud unknown sounds that are frightening her.
July 4th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Urgh, there is nothing I would like more than all fireworks within a 5 mile radius of a residential area banned. In the UK, we have “Guy Forks Day” where for about two weeks we have nothing but constant fireworks around the neighbourhood. I enjoy going to the big, well organised displays, but seeing my beautiful German Shepard Roxy shaking, shivering, panting and trying to squash herself into the smallest space possible is heartbreaking.
July 4th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
In my city (pickerington) you offered them to have those kind of fireworks but they refeshed to have them. Now on the 4th (today) the fireworks are going off. My dog is going crazy and my guinea pig is running into his cage walls. I also saw birds liveing there nest with young cause they where scared. I`m really angery that they didn`t agere to the kinds you have.
July 5th, 2009 at 12:00 am
i went to the fireworks tonight and they were a lot quieter. they made that “pop” that the smaller, homemade ones do. admittedly, it was less enjoying but a lot safer for the animals. http://twitpic.com/9d02h
July 5th, 2009 at 8:04 am
I know for a fact that the noise don’t just annoy babies and animals but even us humans, like sick people, turists and many more. The coloured fireworks are more than enough to complete a festa but the other “murtali” with just a big bang and no fun at all in my opinion should be stopped…. Thanks
July 5th, 2009 at 8:25 am
I remember one time on the way home by car, somone left a firecracker on the road and it almost blew up the Car! Also My kat, almost jumped the 6ft fence after breaking throught the screen when a person in teh street lit a cracker! Fortonatley, she was found in my friends backyard alive and shakened ( we live next door) All causd by some careless person
July 5th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Dear Peta — As long as my post of July 3 still awaits your moderation, I’d prefer to cancel that post and submit the comment below instead. Thanks!
The distress an animal may feel from fireworks noise may need to be addressed differently from its distress from thunderstorms. Our little 13-year-old bichon is terrified to the point of panic over thunderstorms — even though he has no problem with the noise of New York City streets - and isn’t even bothered by fireworks! Our vet, Dr. Bruce Lowenstein, who’s an amazing clinician and very resourceful, has a suggestion that a friend from PETA thought worth passing along to you. Before he puts our elderly dog on a tranquilizer, which can be difficult to time in advance of a storm and can affect his blood pressure, etc. he suggests we try something called the “Storm Defender” cape. No guarantee it will work for our dog but it’s said to work 70% of the time so he thinks it’s worth a try. We found it on line at stormdefender.com. Worth a try! The theory behind this product is interesting & consistent with our dog’s behavior: it’s not the sound of the thunder that upsets the dog, it’s the electrical charge in the atmosphere that can feel to them like severe static electricity & be maddening to them. That charge can be present even when we don’t actually see the lightening strike.
July 5th, 2009 at 9:45 am
I do wish we could pass a law to ban fireworks in residential neighborhoods. We have 3 large dogs of which are 9 - 12 years old. Two of the dogs are terrified of the noise. If the dogs are this terrified, just think what it does to the wildlife.
July 6th, 2009 at 3:39 am
Last year I was so mad at my family, cause’ they wanted to have fireworks.
I said: If you want to destroy for animals, then I’m not in.
So I sat with my grandma’s cat in a room.
When we came home i was so afraid of my vegan-hamster -who is 3 years old!- was dead, but she survived.
Heres a tip:
Yea, last year I saw a baloon with a light in, it was so beautiful and did’nt destroy for any animals. I hope i can teach my family that fireworks kill.
Julia
12 years
July 6th, 2009 at 11:32 am
now i know why my pet dog ryu acted so strange during new years eve right here on our very own house. i remebered it too well that he run off towards the back of our house and force his way into the pile of wood that was so small the manage to through it. So what i did is get him out of that pile of wood. but everytime i get him out of it, he keep going back. the best thing i did was to pamper him and make sleep on my bed guarding him and it did calm him down, knowing that his master or i rather say his bestfriend is there to remind him that there’s nothing to afraid of. and he just fall asleep as nothing happens.
July 10th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
My dog Dusty doesn’t like thunder storms but they don’t bother her as mutch as fireworks. The past 3 weeks fireworks have been gooing off constantly. (Even though there illigial in Il) Fireworks may go off all year round were i live but she has never acted like this before. She is a pudgy medium dog and she gets into panic attacks franctily running around the garage wining then finily going to hide under neath the furnace (witch is in a corner but on metal supports a ft of the ground) and some how she mannages to turn her self aroun and laydown. But to only get back up agan and run to someone for comfort sometimes se doesent even come when u call shes so spooked and the strand part is shes used to loud noises because my dad drag races and shell stay right next to the car when he starts it sometimes i wonder what happened to her when she was a puppy cause we found her in our garage looking for food in the dead of winter when she was on 6 months old… and and now shes 5 or 6 and she still has panic attacks