When I was a kid, I used to love firework night, we used to have a bonfire and food and invite friends’ round. It was a joyful event. But now I dread firework night because it scares my animals, Guy Fawkes night is not what it used to be.

People have unlimited access to fireworks, and instead of just using them on Guy Fawkes night or special occasions like Diwali, they are letting off on Halloween and sometimes right the way through to the new year.

It is against the law to set off fireworks between 11pm and 7am, except on special occasions like New Year’s Eve. People are so irresponsible, the noise and lights can be so distressing for animals and people, not to mention the pollution and that they are explosives and can blow your arm off. Fireworks can cause serious distress to animals not just psychologically but also physically as an animal may attempt to run away. The smouldering remains can also be dangerous.

There are also other people to consider such as people with autism and people with

post-traumatic stress disorder also military veterans or people with epilepsy. This can cause undue stress as they may not be able to deal with the noise and is it detrimental to their wellbeing.

I believe that people have spoilt it for others with their irresponsible use of fireworks and I would like to see them restricted to organized displays only or banned completely.

On Facebook there is a group called Firework Abatement Campaign, this has been set up to restrict the use of fireworks, to reduce the stress and fear in animals and pets. Fireworks occur at all times of the day and evening for many weeks and during the autumn and winter. People struggle to keep their animals safe during this extended period.

The campaign calls for fireworks for use by the general public to be permitted on traditional celebration dates only. The need for reform of the firework regulations 2004 has been recognized by a number of organizations and charities. Current regulations are outdated and largely ineffective and the campaign calls for the improved regulations of fireworks in the UK. There is also a petition.

The petition also calls for the regulations to change and asks the government to restrict the use of fireworks and use by the general public to the traditional dates around Guy Fawkes, New Year’s Eve, Diwali and New Year celebrations, the people who started the petition, have discovered the distress caused to people and animals. The information has been gathered by the petition surveys, polls and statements, sent in by the public and freedom of information requests sent to UK Police and the armed forces.

• Key Facts

• It is recognized that fireworks have a negative effect on people with some medical conditions.

• Over the firework season, The RSPCA report a 35% increase in calls from the public

• Fireworks are used 365 days a year, 366 this year.

• In some areas, there were only 7 single days free from fireworks between October 2015 and January 2016.

• During the six months of the petition, nearly 100 separate incidents have been reported in the newspapers.

• Online shopping and the proliferation of retail outlets and garden centers who stock year-round fireworks have increased their availability.

In a general Facebook survey, 94.95% of people said that they would like to see restrictions placed on the use of residential fireworks.

If you would like to learn more about the campaign and petition, please see useful links below:

https://www.facebook.com/fireworkdamage/

https://fireworkabatement.wordpress.com/

https://www.writetothem.com/

The Facebook group is called Fab Anti Random Firework page.