Consider the impact of fireworks on our community this Bonfire Night
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At its November 2022 meeting, SPC resolved the following:
REDUCING THE IMPACT OF FIREWORKS ON VULNERABLE PEOPLE AND ANIMALS
The Council resolved to take action to reduce the impact of fireworks on vulnerable
people and animals by:
- Supporting the RSPCA’s #BangOutOfOrder campaign to raise awareness
about the impact of fireworks on animals and to encourage the general public
to be more considerate of pets, horses and livestock as well as local wildlife; - Writing to the Local Government Association to lobby for a limit to the
maximum noise level of fireworks to 90dB for those sold to the public for
private displays; - Requesting the Government to better regulate fireworks by limiting the noise
level for those used in public displays to 90dB, and; - Recommending to local organisations and groups that all public firework
displays within the area are advertised in advance so that people can take
precautions for themselves and their animals. It was confirmed that SPC
would share information about public displays if informed for resident
awareness.
Firework events in/near Saltford 2023
Friday 3 November:
Saltford Primary School (ticket holders only) – event starts 5:30pm, fireworks at 6:30pm
Bath Racecourse – event opens at 5pm, fireworks at 7:30pm. See their website for details.
Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park – event 5-9pm, fireworks at 7pm. Details on website
Saturday 4 November:
Saltford Sports Club (suggested £5 donation) – event starts 5:30pm, fireworks at 6:30pm
Bath Soft Cheese (Kelston) – event starts 5:30, fireworks at 7pm
Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park – event 5-9pm, fireworks at 7pm. Details on website
Sunday 5 November:
Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park – event 5-9pm, fireworks at 7pm. Details on website
Message from B&NES Council as follows (31/10/31):
People looking to light up the sky this Bonfire Night are being asked to consider others in their community when deciding whether to let off fireworks.
Loud noises can have an impact on vulnerable people as well as on pets and livestock, which can also be seriously harmed by firework debris left on the ground.
Like Saltford Parish Council, Bath & North East Somerset Council is continuing to back the RSPCA’s #BangOutOfOrder campaign which aims to raise awareness about the impact of fireworks on animals and calls for regulations to be changed to protect them.
In 2021, the council passed a motion brought by Keynsham Councillor Alan Hale to recognise that noise from fireworks can cause fear and distress to animals and impact vulnerable people. The motion also agreed that the council should ask local suppliers to stock quieter fireworks and request that public displays are advertised in advance, so that residents can take precautions to avoid them.
Councillor Tim Ball, B&NES Council’s Cabinet member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “We encourage everyone to consider the whole community when deciding whether to let off fireworks, not only in terms of using them safely but also in relation to how noise and smoke can seriously affect animals and people.
“Every year, fireworks cause considerable distress to pets, horses, livestock and their owners. I’m sure many people are already aware that debris can also damage properties and crops and that smoke causes lingering air pollution. That’s why we’re urging people to think of others when deciding how to celebrate Bonfire Night this year. Instead of lighting your own fireworks, please consider attending an organised display to keep yourself and others safe.”
Planned fireworks displays in B&NES include Light Up Lansdown at Bath Racecourse on November 3 and the Rotary Club of Bath Community Fireworks on November 4.
The council has a fireworks advice webpage for anyone planning a firework display or looking for more information about the impact of fireworks.
People who have concerns about the impact of firework displays on themselves, the community, pets or livestock, can use the RSPCA #BangOutOfOrder toolkit and display posters in their windows if they have a pet who is vulnerable to the noise. The RSPCA also invites people to share their experiences about the impact of fireworks via this survey.
There is also an Alternatives to Fireworks page
What the RSPCA’s BangOutOfOrder campaign is calling for:
- Raised awareness about the impact of fireworks on animals to encourage the
general public to be more considerate of pets, horses and livestock as well as
local wildlife. - The sale of fireworks for Bonfire Night should be limited to 29th October to 5th
November. In addition, we believe that there should be restrictions introduced
limiting the days that fireworks can be let off thereby restricting the period over
which animals are exposed to them (similar to what is proposed in Scotland). - The maximum permitted noise level of fireworks for public sale was reduced
from 120 dB to 90 dB and the introduction of a labelling system identifying the
noise level of fireworks (e.g. ‘loud’ or ‘low noise’) to allow consumers to make an
informed choice. - All public firework displays to be licensed by the relevant licensing authority, with
information about the proposed display provided in the local area several weeks
in advance (allowing mitigating measures to be put in place) and a process for
residents to appeal against the granting of the licence. This process should also
apply to people seeking to hold private displays at special events (such as
weddings).
RSPCA – Key polls, facts and stats
● Over the last five years, the RSPCA has received over 1,621 calls about fireworks
affecting animals, not to mention the thousands of messages received via our social
channels (preferred method of engagement for many) each year depicting how both
animals and their owners suffer.
● The effects of sudden loud noises on wild animals are difficult to assess; the
impacts will vary depending on the biology of each species, and physiological effects
are often harder to measure than behavioural effects in animals in the wild.
However, there is evidence that unpredictable loud noises do disturb wild animals
both free and captive. For example, one study in the Netherlands showed that birds
were disturbed by New Years Eve fireworks in three consecutive years, and
thousands of birds were observed to take flight in response to the fireworks. Indeed
fireworks are classed as highly disturbing to some bird species and have been
associated with the abandonment of nests or even whole colonies.
● In New Zealand, running was the most frequent response to fireworks reported, and 1
35% of respondents reported horses breaking through fences. 26% of respondents
reported their horses had received injuries due to fireworks, ranging from
lacerations, strains and sprains to most serious of all, broken limbs (7%), an injury
that most usually results in euthanasia.
