07-11-2022, 08:06 AM
In our area the Councils prohibit letting off fireworks in public spaces. So parks, etc should be fireworks free except for organised displays that have permits. Those of you affected by the actions described above hopefully have the same rules at your place and can at least lay formal complaints, although I realise they probably won't be actioned.
For us, the backyard "small" stuff is a mild annoyance but the cat gets fearful if they are too close. Not excessively so though. He relaxes because we are relaxed. The next level up are the backyarders who have "big" stuff. That is the worst because as well as being super loud it is unexpected. Both people and animals get the startle factor and the shock waves can hurt the ears of animals and young children. Not to mention setting off ptsd in those who are vulnerable. We had one of those a week or so ago and within the properties in our driveway there was one crying child, a terrified cat that luckily fled inside for comfort, plus two neighbour cats that simply bolted and didn't come home for an hour or so. I think the UK has different rules for different categories of fireworks. If we can't simply ban them all outright then at least ban that level of explosion (which is what it is).
The organised displays (of which we have one about 300m away) are better because they are planned and we know exactly when it will happen and can keep the cat inside at the right time. And you know that it will finish at 9pm. And at least it's a community event that gives a lot of people a high level of enjoyment, while making a HUGE amount of money for the school. The downside is that knowing when it will happen helps with the startle factor, but the physical pain is still there for those affected. I would really rather they only have them out of town where there is no neighbourhood impact.
We are now multui-cultural enough that there are many reasons people want to use fireworks. I'm sure most people have long forgotten that 5 November is about celebrating a terrorist attack on the government of the time. We surely should not be doing that. But we now get fireworks for New Year, Diwali, people's birthdays and who knows what else. At least November 5 was just once a year. Now we get fireworks sporadically all year which makes it an even bigger problem. I would ban the lot. And I haven't even started on the waste of money and pollution apsects.
I don't feel hypocritical when I think back to our childhood fun. Even though we did it responsibly, appropriately and relatively quietly then, I now understand about the trauma some animals and people suffer. We simply don't need to do it. And shouldn't.
For us, the backyard "small" stuff is a mild annoyance but the cat gets fearful if they are too close. Not excessively so though. He relaxes because we are relaxed. The next level up are the backyarders who have "big" stuff. That is the worst because as well as being super loud it is unexpected. Both people and animals get the startle factor and the shock waves can hurt the ears of animals and young children. Not to mention setting off ptsd in those who are vulnerable. We had one of those a week or so ago and within the properties in our driveway there was one crying child, a terrified cat that luckily fled inside for comfort, plus two neighbour cats that simply bolted and didn't come home for an hour or so. I think the UK has different rules for different categories of fireworks. If we can't simply ban them all outright then at least ban that level of explosion (which is what it is).
The organised displays (of which we have one about 300m away) are better because they are planned and we know exactly when it will happen and can keep the cat inside at the right time. And you know that it will finish at 9pm. And at least it's a community event that gives a lot of people a high level of enjoyment, while making a HUGE amount of money for the school. The downside is that knowing when it will happen helps with the startle factor, but the physical pain is still there for those affected. I would really rather they only have them out of town where there is no neighbourhood impact.
We are now multui-cultural enough that there are many reasons people want to use fireworks. I'm sure most people have long forgotten that 5 November is about celebrating a terrorist attack on the government of the time. We surely should not be doing that. But we now get fireworks for New Year, Diwali, people's birthdays and who knows what else. At least November 5 was just once a year. Now we get fireworks sporadically all year which makes it an even bigger problem. I would ban the lot. And I haven't even started on the waste of money and pollution apsects.
I don't feel hypocritical when I think back to our childhood fun. Even though we did it responsibly, appropriately and relatively quietly then, I now understand about the trauma some animals and people suffer. We simply don't need to do it. And shouldn't.