19/10/2023
*** FIREWORKS ***
Meet Harry. Harry is 23 years old, and in the past 12 months has battled through FOUR life threatening conditions. He is now almost sound, and very happy.
In his extremely successful career, Harry jumped over obstacles bigger than himself, and jumped off huge drop fences into water. He was graded an Advanced eventer. He represented Great Britain and earned his rider(me) her Union Jack badge. Harry was afraid of nothing.
Since being hit by a cluster of rocket fireworks, fired into his paddock by my ex-landlady and her family, back in 2018, Harry now fears the banging of fireworks more than anything else he has ever feared in his life. Harry would gallop through fences and kill himself, if it meant he could get away from the loud banging of fireworks.
Every year, since then, I absolutely dread “Bonfire Night”, as I know that Harry will suffer, and I’ll end up having to sedate him.
It’s not just Harry. Many, many thousands of animals, as well as people, suffer unnecessarily due to the hideously loud bangs made by firework displays. You can now buy silent fireworks, which are just as pretty, and don’t cause huge suffering.
Surely we can train or desensitise animals, so that people can enjoy their “necessary” home displays?
No, we can’t. Why would we cause multiple days and nights of suffering to our animals, trying to desensitise them, when a little bit of consideration would mean no animals suffered? And how can we desensitise the many thousands of wild animals, who fear for their lives when they hear the bangs?
Oh, come on, it’s one night a year! Surely animals can put up with that?!
Firstly, it’s never one night a year. Non-animal lovers/selfish b******s, don’t stick to 5th November; we hear continual loud fireworks for weeks before, and weeks after. To be honest, I doubt that most people doing these awful home displays, even have a clue what they are celebrating. Secondly, why should animals put up with being tortured, even for one night a year, when you can buy silent fireworks? Some are so terrified, for hours, that it’s the equivalent to you being taken hostage by masked gunmen, and tortured, unsure if you’re going to be alive by the next day. Would that be ok for you to put up with, because “it’s only one night”?
PLEASE THINK if your loud home display of bright lights, could be just that; silent. And please, please notify all neighbours and any horse owners if you are intending to insist on needing loud bangs to make your evening enjoyable. Better still, go to an organised display.
Harry is dreading “Bonfire Night”, as are tens of thousands of other animals. Not to mention people.
This photo shows the fear in Harry’s face, 5th November 2021. This was just before I sedated him.
Please share, especially to non horsey groups and friends.
