01/02/12 Stop the Use of Fire-crackers!
On occasion of the use of pyrotechincs on New Year's Eve, Animal Friends demands a ban
- The noise of firecrackers terrifies and kills animals, and people – especially children – can get injured as well
Although every year conscientious citizens and animal protection organizations send appeals to citizens not to use firecrackers and other explosives which produce a large amount of noise during the holidays, a certain number of cizitens, especially children without the supervision of adults, see the holidays as a chance for acting out instead of peace.
While for some people noise and lighting firecrackers means entertainment and delight and a way to celebrate, at the same time, especially on New Year's Eve, many animals die of heart attacks caused by explosions of pyrotechnics. Noise produced by firecrackers terrifies dogs, cats, birds and other companion and city animals, who experience fear and trauma, and those who are in immediate vicinity of the explosives can get injured. In addition to the danger of being directly injured by explosive devices, high noise levels can damage their hearing, which is much more sensitive than human, and cause mental shock. Many animals run away from their yards in panic, trying to protect themselves from the noise made by the explosions. During the holidays, dog guardians are often forced to give dogs tranquilizers for walks, so they could endure the noise made by lighting firecrackers.
During the holidays most firecrackers are used by minors, and instead of holiday peace, citizens have to endure explosions and noise like they were in a battle field. The current Explosive Substances Act is a dead letter and not enforceable, and appeals not to use firecrackers for protection of people and animals have no results. Therefore Animal Friends will direct a proposal to change or amendment of the current law to the competent ministry, asking them to ban using firecrackers and other explosive devices by next holidays, modeled after the more advanced law in neighbouring Italy.
Italy has shown its civilizational level with the current ban on using firecrackers on New Year's Eve in more than 850 Italian towns and municipalities and foreseen penalties of between 25 and 500 Euros. In cities like Venice and Milan they were banned because their noise disturbed people, and in Turin the ban was passed in the first place because of animals, considering that about 5,000 animals die of heart attacks caused by firecracker explosions.
Animals do not like firecrackers, but neither do most citizens, who want peace and safety for themselves and their family members. This year as well, citizens informed Animals Friends that they came across terrified dogs and other animals on New Year's Eve. Every year lighting firecrackers causes injuries of children who handle them and it is necessary to legaly ban their use, in order to protect both people and animals. With such a ban Croatia would join the ethical civilizational circle and show that it does not want to live in an atmosphere of war, but peace and compassion toward all creatures during the holidays.