I opened my social media this morning to find a picture of a kitten laying lifeless on the lap of a friend. This kitten had died from fright in the night during a local fireworks display.
I'm not going to write about how to keep pets safe and calm during a display (like most do when requiring an excuse to put on such pointless shows), Instead, I'm going to write about why fireworks should be banned.
The hearing of many animals is much more sensitive than it is in humans, so the explosions of fireworks are not only more disturbing to them, but they can damage their hearing more severely.
Fireworks generate a higher noise level than firecrackers, gunshots (140 decibels), and some jet planes (100 decibels). Noises caused by fireworks and firecrackers can lead to loss of hearing and tinnitus. Dogs are known to suffer irreversible hearing loss caused by proximity to the noise of gunfire.” Source: https://www.animal-ethics.org
Smoke from fireworks contains a mixture of sulfur-coal compounds, traces of heavy metals, and other toxic chemicals or gases, such as sulfur dioxide and nitric oxide. These toxins become airborne after fireworks combustion, and create dangerous levels of air and water pollution.
The casings and other debris left after a firework has detonated end up littering the area with a variety of toxins, where they can poison birds, wildlife and children for a long time after the fireworks themselves have been forgotten. Source: https://www.forbes.com
Pets, horses, farm animals and wildlife suffer during a fireworks display. For what? A few minutes of ‘Oooohs’.
Humanity can be incredibly selfish and utterly pointless at times. Fireworks displays prove this point.
Photo by Fabio Eckert from Pexels