It’s bonfire night this weekend, there will be major organised firework displays and many of us will be lighting our own fireworks in our back gardens. A request from one animal rescuer is to please think of the animals.
Sharon Hastings of Manton looks after a range of animals from goats to donkeys and her concern is that fireworks, if set off close to any animals is that the animal can be quite scared. “Animals have no voices and only show their fears in the way they react, and as you can imagine when a horse or animal is in flight mode it is also extremely dangerous for the owners, trying to comfort and control them” explained Sharon.
She told of instances in previous year’s firework evenings where horses had become scared and injured themselves when trying to jump over the boundary fence of their paddock. “You can’t warn an animal that you’re about to let off a firework” she added, so every ‘bang’ or ‘flash’ will be unexpected and scary.
Not a message of ‘don’t have fireworks’, rather a call to think of where, when and how, and the effect that they might have on any animals in the vicinity who could get spooked. Some dogs will get very agitated so when letting off fireworks keep them indoors.
The local fire service – Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service – also issued a reminder regarding safety on bonfire night. Prevention Delivery Manager Vikki Thomas said: “Watching fireworks at a secured site, behind a safety cordon, is the best way to celebrate safely and avoid injury – plus many such events raise money for the local community or charities. It’s also fairer to pet owners, as they will know when and where displays will be taking place.”
Also the reminder was to be careful when setting off fireworks, especially rockets in areas where there are many thatched cottages. Every bonfire night, somewhere in the country there will be thatched roofs set alight by a rogue firework or rocket, and there are plenty of such roofs around Marlborough and the villages.
Organised displays are one way to celebrate bonfire night, but if it’s your garden, just think of the animals.
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