PETA to Watford Borough Council: Switch to Silent Fireworks

For Immediate Release:

15 November 2017

Contact:

Jennifer White +44 (0) 20 7837 6327, ext 222; [email protected]

PETA TO WATFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL: SWITCH TO SILENT FIREWORKS

Group Suggests That Watford Swap Disturbing Loud Fireworks for Dazzling Noiseless Displays

Watford, Hertfordshire – Following reports that a fireworks display in the area terrified a dog, causing her to jump from a first-floor window and run half a mile before becoming wedged in a tiny space between two walls, PETA has written to Chair of Watford Borough Council Jagtar Singh Dhindsa with a suggestion: use only silent fireworks in order to create a stress-free environment for the borough’s animal and human residents.

“Silent fireworks shows deliver all the flash without the frightening noise,” says PETA Campaigns Strategist Luke Steele. “By using silent fireworks – as several cities in Europe and the US are already doing – Watford can prevent dogs, cats, wildlife, and humans from being alarmed or disturbed by explosions.”

In the letter, PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way” – notes that following conventional fireworks displays, animal-rescue centres often see an increase in the number of lost dogs, many of whom panic and break loose from leads or jump over fences or even through glass windows in an attempt to get away from the terrifying sounds. Loud displays also scare wild animals, such as deer, sometimes causing them to flee onto roads, where they are at great risk of being struck and killed by vehicles and also endanger drivers. And the stress isn’t limited to animals: noise-sensitive children, elderly people, veterans, and those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder can find the noise of the explosives disturbing.

The letter can be viewed here. For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.

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