Alright all you smart cuties, we need some helpful advice...I know it is patriotic to have fireworks displays in our cities, but they should be done safely by our city and not in the residential areas where the fireworks can end up on top of the roof of homes....plus the PTSD it causes for our animals! Last night someone in our neighborhood started their yearly montage of fireworks....all of our cats went into trauma mode, hiding and hyperventilating until they were actually panting.....Now, our police dept has said they can't do anything unless they are caught doing it......unfortunately there are some apartments up the street from us and this is where they are shooting them off....we tried a thundershirt and it was more stressful getting them into it so that is out. We have the feliway plug ins around the house but it does nothing to calm them down from the loud booms....any other tips of what we can do would be appreciated! Also, the fireworks go on for weeks after the holiday....gggrrrr!!

Michigan has a new law on when fireworks can be fired. I live where the boom noises are far away. My dog is not bothered by them. With that said I still wish for no fireworks, they are dangerous. Seems like the day after fireworks you see many dead animals on the roads, most likely scared from the fireworks. Also I have a friend who lost much of his face, has brain damage, and spent over a year recovering in hospital. Still he has memory problems, is disabled and will never work in his field again.

I 100% agree! My neighbors get drunk and start shooting them off which first off terrifies my dogs and 4 out of 5 of my cats! Then every year I find garbage all through my yard and pool! They are dangerous and professionals should use them in designated spots ONLY! NOT by peoples houses!

I was about to get on a soapbox, but I'll spare you and just sympathize with you and your babies and also all the vets with PTSD. Well, maybe I'll add a little story. When we first moved to our current house, the neighbors set off fireworks and caught a large pampas grass clump on fire and it was under the power lines. Apparently they thought they were being safe because they had a bucket of water handy. They threw the water on the plant and while they were filling it up, the fire grew bigger. Meanwhile I just started connecting hoses until I was able to reach the plant and hosed it down until it was out. I'm happy to report that nothing like that happened again. I'm also glad it wasn't our roof! I think the advice of closing curtains and turning on soothing music sounds like the best bet in the short term and maybe getting the message out about how this affects people and pets. Good luck.

Your story is exactly MY story...except that we have a university in our neighborhood and the fireworks are unbelievably loud when they celebrate winning a football game. The noise begins after we have just drifted to sleep and goes on forever. Obviously, there is no complaining about the university. Frankly, I think it is a stupid tradition. My cats have always been sooo frightened. The neighborhood seems to have only maybe one or two families that start the noise a day before hoilidays and continue for almost a week after. I simply cringe at the $$$ being burned. But more is how angry I get about the inconsiderate adults that allow it.

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by basketkase 24 Jun 2019

Exactly.....in fact most of them blowing them off around here are the adults with the kids right by them.....what role models!

Hi Vicki, We, too, have come to HATE the fireworks. We have them for a week or two around the 4th. Already last weekend, somebody was shooting off the ones that sound like bombs and the ones high in the sky. All my animals are terrified too. We close all the curtains, blinds, windows. We turn the radio and TV up loud and also turn on all the lights in the house so they don't see the flashes as much. If it was only one night, we all could sorta cope. But, not the everlasting fireworks. My deepest sympathies to our soldiers and our pets....

I admit, I have learned to hate private firework displays. I enjoy the commercial displays. I know too many Vets with PTSD and the angst it causes them is horrible. My cat, Slippers, went nuts once when we were living in an apartment complex and the alarm went off in another apartment. The 2 of us spent the entire time in a closet with me holding him with my hands over his ears to try to ease the pain and fear for him. But I know that is not possible for you. Is there a place in your home away from windows or a basement that may muffle the sound? Wouldn't it be nice if someone could invent earplugs for our poor animals. And I like the idea of coordinating the neighbors to all call in at the same time to catch these people. I wish I could think of something better.

I know what you mean.. my white dog is also very scared from the fire works. Lucky we only have the sound problem when it gets new years eve. We put the tv sound much higher and keep the curtains closed.
Nothing much you can do about it I guess, cos when the police arrives usually the people have left the scene.

Hi Vicki, when the indians around here celebrate their holidays in November they also have those big bangs, my yard is normally full of the rocket material. Like you one can report it to the police, but not interested.
The only thing we do is shut all the windows and play our music at full volume as we can for our cats even if it is making us deaf. Maybe you can also confine the cats to one room, maybe a room in the centre of your house and play them the music. I know this works for our cats. The cats that I feel sorry for are the feral cats outside that don't know where to run to from all the noise. Hugs from Maureen

While they are banned in Australia,but the local council puts on a fireworks display along the lake edge ,about 1km away as the crow flies.They are on Christmas Eve,News Years Eve, Australia Day & the Mardi Gras ( don't remember it being on last year) ,all in a 8 week period.Our previous dog frothed at the mouth,shivered etc at the noise so we went to the vet who gave us pills ( one given to her about 2 hrs before they were due to start) which helped but left her a bit dopey the next day.
Gandalf the cat hated fireworks also,he was kept in with the TV on,with us .As he aged he calmed down slightly with us for company.

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by gerryb 23 Jun 2019

Our little dog always went crazy when fireworks or thunder was around! We knew she was going deaf as it didn't seem to bother her much any more. I hate the loud fireworks.

Dangerous stuff, banned in Australia

Well, I would still call the police department as soon as it start...and get every other neighbor to call at the same time...The only way the police are going to catch them in the act, is if there are numerous calls made at the same time for the same building/house...I might also suggest a video, especially if you go to the media...and it still would not hurt to supply the police department with a video either!

The trouble is that it starts days before and after 4th of July. My 13 year old shepherd starts shaking with her tail under her belly. Last year on the advise from the Vet I gave her antihistamine on the actual day. That made it easier but I do not want to drug her for weeks. On top of all that the possibility of fire is ridiculously high. Grrrrrr is right

You poor gal Vicki, in New South Wales the last cracker night was on June 7, 1986, after the State government banned it for safety reasons. A couple of our states still allow them. Of course we still have them on special holiday celebrations, but we have the same issue with cats and dogs etc. I don't know how to solve the problem other than to keep them somewhere out of earshot range. It is so distressing to see them so upset. Good luck with your local radio station, newspapers etc. Love Chris

First thought, I would write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper explaining the effect of the noise on your household. How about calming background music. My cable tv provider offers several soothing radio channels of music. Third, and this, in your letter, I would request that people at least restrict their celebrations to the holiday or holiday weekend itself. Poor kitties.

2 comments

by basketkase 21 Jun 2019

I like the sound of going to the media....they did have a spot on one of our local channels about the illegal firing of fireworks (it is not legal in this city)....they talked about the effect on animals and veterans with PTSD....as far as approaching the people in the apartments, I wouldn't know where to start....to be honest I would be afraid to approach them as we have had drug busts and weapons violations in some of these apartments......I feel hopeless about the whole situation....just venting......

by tonilee 21 Jun 2019

so sorry, I have rescue dogs and they start with thr fireworks days before and days after and it is so frightening to the kids. But to be honest I don't think these people are to concerned with others. or that doesn't seem to be the case