Fireworks Season:

EDDR Fireworks Update – Winter 2005

We had a positive response to our Fireworks advice with people printing off and giving to friends and dog owners visiting the site stating that they found the information helpful.

Many people and animals including dogs have suffered once again over the noisy period pre and post Bonfire Night, with further fireworks madness expected during other key times around the Year.

In one disgraceful incident a Yorkshire Terrier was tied to a firework and killed: “Youths kill dog by tying it to firework” wrote Audrey Gillan in The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1605089,00.html

At the Audenshaw Cats and Dogs Home the animals had to be sedated with tranquillisers after two dogs died last year from shock caused by the noise of fireworks. The Manchester Evening News is continuing to campaign to have over-the-counter firework sales banned and to restrict sales to organised displays. Last year there were a reported 209 firework injuries in the north west, the largest of any region. For further information visit:
http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/men/news/s/180/180791_bonfire_night_2005_a_night_of_fun.html

A petition has been organized by Teresa, it has over 90,000 signatures and signatures are being collected until the end of January 2006. The Petition is asking for the current Fireworks legislation to be amended in order to restrict fireworks to licensed displays only at specific times of the year, with a max decibel level of 85db for all fireworks, also to include garden fireworks in the restricted category, for more information on the petition and to download/print off a copy, visit www.fireworkspetition.co.uk

Had a bad experience with Fireworks?

Write to your Member of Parliament and let them know how you and your dogs have been affected. If more MPs receive letters from their own constituents then just maybe more notice of the problem will be taken.

Fireworks Act:

The Fireworks Act was introduced in August 2004, it makes it an offence to: • To be under the age of 18 and in possession of Fireworks in a public place. • To let off Fireworks louder than 120 decibels. • To let off Fireworks between 11pm and 7am.

The 11pm to 7am curfew is extended on the 5th of November, New year’s Eve, Chinese New Year and Diwali.

For a full copy of the legislation (The Fireworks Act 2003) visit - http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/20030022.htm

Now that the new legislation is in force, whether it will make much of a difference to your area remains to be seen.

The Fireworks mayhem seems to start earlier and earlier each year, depending on where you live, with Nov. 5th not far away there are also other celebrations involving Fireworks such as Diwali. For many of us, there isn’t just one one evening of Fireworks, sounding like World War III, to cope with, but a whole run up weeks ahead which doesn’t end with the loudest blitz on Bonfire Night.