With New Year’s Eve festivities planned across town tonight, we’re sure to see fireworks light up the skies again.
But for many pet owners, loud bangs and whistles are a dangerous prospect for their pets.
Marena Adams, who owns a Romanian rescue dog named Micha, has called for the sale of fireworks to the public to be banned on social media.
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She said she was not afraid of organized exhibitions, but wanted more protection for terrified pets and the elderly.
She said: “These are the people who buy it just to embarrass themselves.
“If it was still organized exhibitions, like in Cosham, I wouldn’t mind so much.
“It’s the people who buy them willy-nilly, often young people, and throw them at 10pm or put them in the trash that frustrate me.
“I had quite a few animals that were absolutely petrified by them.”
Ms Adams, who lives near St Georges Church in Portsea, said she had to purchase recommended medication to calm Micha – making sure to protect her from loud noises.
The rescue dog receives treatment for seizures and becomes nervous and frightened whenever fireworks are fired.
Ms Adams said she doesn’t mind the scheduled fireworks display as she can plan and make sure Micha doesn’t get carried away by the noise.
She added that the situation has improved as the loud noises would have lasted for weeks in the past, but more care needs to be taken.
The pet owner said, “I don’t want to prevent any child from having fun with their family, as long as they consider the pets of the elderly and others.”
Steve Clarke posted on Facebook: “Yes, ban them from irresponsible audiences and only use them at shows.”
Rob Rogers agreed, writing, “Yeah, mainly because brain dead idiots who get their hands on these fireworks can’t just stop with a few fireworks.
“They must reenact the Battle of Waterloo until the early hours of the morning.”
Others, including Jamie Andrews, disagreed with a ban.
He posted: “Isn’t it more irresponsible to expect everyone to change their traditions etc just because of your personal choice to have a dog?”