Fireworks sales too cruel to animals

Nobody wants to see the demise of controlled pyrotechnics...it is the indiscriminate use of fireworks in uncontrolled circumstances that should be banned. FILE PHOTO

YEAR after year, animals get injured after being spooked by fireworks and it's now time the authorities tightened the grip on who should be able to buy and use them.

On Saturday, the Times-Age reported the case of a pet lamb belonging to Patricia and Dean Clement of Carterton being injured, and needing vet care, having been frightened by fireworks and banging herself repeatedly into a fence.

Okay, so it's one sheep but it is a much-loved animal for the Clement family and could just as easily have been a prize farm animal or a valuable racehorse.

Nobody wants to see the demise of controlled pyrotechnics, they are wonderful to watch and bonfire nights arranged for the public and run by responsible organisations, such as Lions clubs are fine.

It is the indiscriminate use of fireworks in uncontrolled circumstances that should be banned.

Why they remain on sale to every Tom, Dick and Harry who simply meet an age criteria is beyond me.

An 18-year-old can wander into an outlet, load up with potentially dangerous fireworks and take off home to distribute them to virtual infants to set off.

Guy Fawkes is an outdated celebration - if there was ever anything to be celebrated - and the dangerous practice of indiscriminately setting fireworks alight in modern society is outdated also.

Apart from injuring people and causing damage to property by fire, it is the impact fireworks have on animals which is distressing.

They are not to know it is some sort of weird human celebration and to all intents and purposes properly consider it to be little different to being hunted by rifle shooters.

Patricia and Dean Clement are to be applauded for coming forward and making a complaint with their names and photo attached.

However, if past experience is any yardstick, they will have a battle on their hands to convince those who have the authority to bring an end to the silly practice to go ahead and do so.