FIREWORKS HAVE PETS IN A FRENZY

How sad, that the very thing that seems to give people such joy during times of celebrations, bring such pain and agony to those that we claim to love so much! Yet, as long as our own satisfaction is guaranteed, we seem to have little if any consideration for the well being of our pets. When we read articles like this, we all nod our heads and frown and mutter words in condemnation of the irresponsible people around us who set off fireworks, at every opportunity, yet not only do we not do anything about it, but we also participate, whether it is by joining in the fun or even setting off a "few harmless bangs" of our own.

I know my own 3 cats all bolted inside and dived into the cupboard, where they hid behind my piles of clothes (a favorite hiding place for them when thunder and lightning gets to scary for them to contemplate). I watched them squirm and shiver and saw how they were stressing at each new bang.

Isn't time we took the stress that these fireworks causes into consideration, and have them banned once and for all - they really do not serve any purpose and there are many other ways in which to celebrate an occasion that does not involve huge noisy sounds?

Regards

Nikki

Fireworks have pets in a frenzy

January 03 2007 at 11:45AM

The New Year's fireworks were hell on Pretoria's animal population with dozens of pets injured. A dog was impaled on palisade fencing and others were hurt when they jumped through windows to escape the noise of the fireworks.

Many were knocked down by cars as they fled their homes. The Pet 911 Emergency Veterinary Clinic in the Moot had to deal with more than 30 cases, five of them dogs that had jumped through windows. "Thirty-three cases are a lot to deal with since New Year's Eve," said Anette van Veenhuyzen, a sister on duty at the clinic last night. She said all five dogs were saved.

"Many other dogs came in with cuts and bruises after being hit by cars. A lot of people also brought in animals that were found wandering the streets," Van Veenhuyzen said.Pretoria's animal rescue organisations were inundated with calls from people whose pets disappeared during New Year's celebrations. SPCA chief inspector for Pretoria Marizda Kruger said they had been involved in the rescue of a fox terrier that had to be extricated from between a garage wall and the wall of his owners' Faerie Glen home. - Staff Reporters

This article was originally published on page 3 of Pretoria News on January 03, 2007