Some prayers and good thoughts please

[ChrisH]

For the dogs, cats and other pets, also the wildlife, birds etc, because here in the UK it is Bonfire Night (http://www.bonefire.org/guy/bonfire.php) tommorrow. That means lots and lots of fireworks being let off all over the UK. For many pets, like my son's dog Paddy, it is sheer torture.

In fact, since Halloween has started being 'celebrated' over here the firework torture begins as early as the second week in October! It really is awful. I have no quarrel with anyone having a good time, nor with the tradition of Bonfire night, I used to take part myself. In those days though it was just the one night, now each night there have been so many big bangs from the fireworks the young ***** have been just throwing around. Really. And last Saturday and Sunday were extra loud as people let the Halloween fireworks off, and now tonight too, as some people seem to have started early. :(

As you may or may not know, here in the UK cats are mostly indoor/outdoor and I so worry about them at this time of year. The dogs too because of the nastiness that abounds. And all the creatures who are terrified.

So please send good thoughts and say a little prayer for all of the creatures in danger and afraid.

Thanks
Chris

[tatsxxx11]

My RB Jingles was so terrified of fireworks and I know exactly what you're feeling, Chris:( Poor Paddy and all of the other creatures. Hopefully the kitties will be kept indoors as much as possible. I would turn on music or the TV, close the windows and try and distract her. I hope your babies and all the other UK furry ones will get through this without too much trauma. Luckily, the fireworks here stop after the 4th of July. {{{HUGS}}} Sandra

[carole]

It is bonfire night here as well in NZ, My cats will be safe and secure inside for sure, but of course not every cat is going to have that privilige, so yes please hope and pray no animal or human for that matter gets injured this year.

The thing that bothers me we have been having fireworks in my neighbourhood for a week now, and a week afterwards, not everyone sets them off on Nov 5th, so it goes on for at least a month, so our poor animals are terrified for so long.

I wish they would ban all fireworks for private sale , and just hold a large event which everyone can attend and see the display.

I am sure on the 4th of July in America you have the same problem, at least your celebration is for a good reason, Guy Fawkes is because some man tried to blow up parliment, in the Uk I believe.

[ChrisH]

Thanks Sandra. My Bob and Ebby ... well, they may get a little bit jumpy when it's all let loose tommorrow, but they are fine about the daily stuff, I am glad to say.


Originally posted by carole
The thing that bothers me we have been having fireworks in my neighbourhood for a week now, and a week afterwards, not everyone sets them off on Nov 5th, so it goes on for at least a month, so our poor animals are terrified for so long.
Carole, I can see we're suffering the same way, or rather some of the creatures in our countries are.

I wish they would ban all fireworks for private sale , and just hold a large event which everyone can attend and see the display.
Me too, Carole, me too!

It's now 8.50pm and I was just thinking how quiet it had gone, maybe they've finished but no, there go the bangs again! :mad:

[Logan]

Oh Chris, I am so sympathetic to what you're dealing with. :(

I have Zipper and Lilly who are deathly afraid of thunder, lightening and fireworks, too. :( Makes me so sad.

I hope your furries, and all the others will be ok.

Logan

[Killearn Kitties]

I have the girlies all imprisoned in the house this week, Chris. Although, really, we don't have a lot of fireworks round here. I don't think the girls are all that frightened of the bangs either. There will be a lot of fireword tomorrow though and the big display in the village here will be on Saturday. And just why do fireworks get louder every year? What is the thinking behind those hideous bangs they have to have?

Carole, I had no idea that New Zealand celebrated bonfire night. How bizarre. I have to take issue with you though in your implication that someone trying to blow up a bunch of politicians is not something to be celebrated!!! (;) joking of course!)

Soothing cuddles to Bob and Ebby also Ash and Lexie.

[Barbara]

We only have fireworks at New Year's eve but F+T hate the sound of it. In the Millennium night we had closed all the blinds because they really were scared and hid under the bed. I also am afraid for all the cats outside- most cats here are indoor/outdoor as well:(

[Miranda_Rae]

Originally posted by carole
I wish they would ban all fireworks for private sale , and just hold a large event which everyone can attend and see the display.

I can understand how you guys would feel about it, and I don't like it that it scares the animals either. :( Here where I live they only sell fireworks around the 4th of July, no other time. On Forth of July at my grandparents farm we go out and light off fireworks, which is out in the country. Heidi is NOT scared of them at ALL.....she tries to grab them! :eek: So she is put away, so she can't. I do enjoy lighting them and seeing the pretty colors though. I hope things calm down though for you guys. :( {{{HUGS}}}

[carole]

Yes killearns Kitties we seem to pinch a lot of British traditions and follow them some good and some not so good.

Ash and Lexie handled it fine ,although Ash was trying his hardest to get outside, I had to shoo him away with a Broom, gently of course, and he hissed and spat at me, better than having my leg attacked, he was so hacked off that I would not let him out.

Lexie is my scaredy cat, but she was not perturbed by it at all, it appears Guy Fawkes went off well, I read no report of any accidents in the paper and only One related emergency at the hospital, of course there will be some more tonight and then some for the next week or two, when will it end, SOON I hope.

I grinned at your comment, yes I suppose one can see the funny side of blowing up Parliment, Guy probably had some darn good reasons even in those days.

Does anyone know exactly why we celebrate this event, not up on my history here?

Is 4th of July independence day? my american friend has to buy his fireworks now to celebrate then, as they are not sold any other time of the year here.

[PJ's Mom]

Bailey is scared to death of fireworks (and they're not office equipment, go figure. :D) so I know what you're going through. Unfortunately where I live, there are no laws that say people can't shoot off fireworks any time they want. Usually they're fired off on the 4th of July and around the New Year.

I always put Bailey in the bedroom turn the TV and the fan on, and talk to her until they're over. It's sad when she lays around shaking because she's so scared. :(

[ComedyDevil]

So far, so good here.

The dogs are all fine, they're more interested in watching the TV then worrying about the fireworks.

Of course, people have been letting off fireworks here for the past 3 weeks, and will probably continue to do so up until Christmas and even New Year, so they've got plenty of time to get used to them. :rolleyes:

I, on the other hand, nearly got killed by an escaped firework about 3 hours ago when I was walking down my street :eek: It missed me by about 2 feet :mad:

There should be tighter regulations on firework sales, but since there aren't ... guess I'll have to put up with them every night for the next 8 weeks :rolleyes: :mad:

[tatsxxx11]

8 weeks!!! OMG:( Yes, Carole, the 4th of July is Independence day and happily, the sale of fireworks is greatly restricted. I continue to hold all of your furrries ones in my thoughts and prayers, that they will be safe!

[ComedyDevil]

8 weeks!!! OMG :(

Yep. I don't know about the rest of the UK, but around here (Gloucester) fireworks go up for sale at the start of October. People buy huge amounts of fireworks and set them off every day (literally) from the start of October until the beginning of January.

You have the few complete idiots that deliberately fire them at cars/houses, and those that forget they have fireworks, and suddenly remember in the middle of June. And then there's those who set them off in the middle of the day (what's the point when you can't even see them?) I could go on ... :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[RICHARD]

I always thought that Guy Fawkes guy was a troublemaker....

:mad:

Good thoughts....and prayers!!!

[ChrisH]

Thanks for the prayers and good thoughts everyone. They are sorely needed. Especially for the likes of one poor dog I saw last night.
Around 6.30pm I was walking home on the pavement of a very busy road when suddenly a dog came hurtling along toward me as though the very devil was after him. I quickly stepped aside so he/she wouldn't run into the road and within seconds he/she was out of sight. I so hope the poor dog found safety somewhere.

As it's Saturday a lot of people will be having firework parties again, and, as Comedy Devil said, fireworks will be still be being let off by yobs for a while yet - there were some going off this morning around 11am!! So please keep those thoughts and prayers going, as I wrote at the beginning, they are sorely needed.

Chris
P.S. Were my two scared and bothered? ... for the answer take a look at the attached picture.

[cookieluver7]

That is too sad!!!:( :( :( :( :( :(

[Killearn Kitties]

Well, Bob and Ebby didn't seem too traumatised by the bangs last night from the look of that picture!

Our girls were fine as well. Samantha jumped a few times at the bangs, the other two didn't seem to notice.

Carole, I have found a Guy Fawkes link if you haven't already found one. The Gunpowder Plot was all about the divide in the church and the politics of religion in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

http://www.innotts.co.uk/asperges/fawkes/

We have had new legislation introduced this year which only allows the sale of fireworks four weeks before and one week after Bonfire Night. It also prohibits the letting off of fireworks after 11pm, and England has already convicted someone who set of a firework at 2am. Hopefully that will make a difference round your area ComedyDevil.

[ChrisH]

Originally posted by Killearn Kitties
Well, Bob and Ebby didn't seem too traumatised by the bangs last night from the look of that picture!
Our girls were fine as well. Samantha jumped a few times at the bangs, the other two didn't seem to notice.
:D Yes, I am lucky I guess. Glad your kitties are fine with it all too. :)
Bob and Ebbs were fine last night also, despite the fact that, long after people had their home displays, bangers were being set off just outside my back AND front garden. :mad: They're setting them off tonight also, but not so close ... yet!

We have had new legislation introduced this year which only allows the sale of fireworks four weeks before and one week after Bonfire Night. It also prohibits the letting off of fireworks after 11pm, and England has already convicted someone who set of a firework at 2am. Hopefully that will make a difference round your area ComedyDevil.
It is also an offence for anyone under 18 to be in possession of fireworks in a public place and also introduced are on-the-spot penalty fines of £80 for those who break the new laws. None of this has made a difference were I live.

Just heard on the news of a display rocket firework being set off that went straight through a pensioners kitchen window. Luckily there weren't any injuries as the room was unoccupied at the time.

Here is a link to a BBC page about the new laws and, worth a read I think, down at the bottom are some peoples opinions and experiences of the firework issues which show I am far from being alone in my concerns. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3730040.stm

And here are some of the problems facing the firefighters.
Guy Fawkes risk to firefighters
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3984673.stm
Fireworks used in crew attacks
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3988543.stm

[carole]

Thanks for the link, yes well we had more fireworks let off again last night, I will be glad when they finally stop, for my kitties sake and others, my two seem relatively calm about it all, so that is a blessing.

My hubby told me little ginger, a young unfixed male who wanders around( I was unsure if he was a stray, but I am sure he is owned), wandering around on guy fawkes night, apparently he did not look scared at all, but I was worried about his safety, poor kittie, you would think his owners would keep him in, shame on them.

Not too much damage done in NZ, but the usual fires here and there caused by fireworks, so un-necessary.

Fireworks can be bought legally if you are 14 and over, which I think is far too young, and are sold at least a few weeks ahead of Nov 5th here as well.

I can always remember a young girl at my High School who bravely stood up and told everyone her story, she was burned by fireworks, and her whole face was scarred, hardly a nose or anything, it was horrific, to be honest, I still see her around, she looks the same, but no doubt she has had lots of operations, she became a Nurse., I was told she was very pretty before this accident. so sad. and preventable.