Following is a letter I am sending to my local newspaper. I urge as
many animal activists as possible to do likewise. You are welcome to
use information in this letter, but I think it might be best not to use
it exactly as it appears.
--Batya
WHAT'S WRONG WITH FIREWORKS
I just received a request for a donation from the Amherst Leisure
Services for this year’s fireworks event. Let me tell you why I am
against fireworks.
Fireworks explosions, which can emit sounds of up to 190 decibels, a
full 110 to 115 decibels higher than the 75- to 80-decibel range where
damage to the human ear begins. Irreversible ear damage, such as
tinnitus and loss of hearing in humans starts at the 80-decibel range.
The ears of most animals are considerably more sensitive than the human
ear. Not only is it proportionately more disturbing to an animal, it
can also diminish an animal's acute sense of hearing.
Dogs, cats, and other companion animals don't understand the
terrifying loud bangs. Fireworks bring confusion, anxiety, fear, and
blind panic to animals who, in an effort to escape the frightening
detonations, can get into all sorts of trouble.
Humane societies across North America report that after fireworks
displays they are swamped with calls about lost dogs and cats. Dogs
have responded to fireworks explosions by breaking through windows and
screens and are brought to shelters with paws bloodied from running or
torn skin from tearing through back yards, fences and shrubbery. Some
are crippled or killed by cars.
Guide dogs are sometimes left so terrorized by the explosions that they
suffer severe emotional distress and are unable to assist their
companions.
After a loud bang, most birds fly away in fright, and nesting mothers
of flocks sometimes cannot find their own nests upon return,
endangering the well-being of nestlings.
Dr. David Noakes, a zoologist at the University of Guelph, Ontario,
points out that the combined responses to fireworks of panic and
disorientation can result in birds' flying into a building or too far
out to sea.
Fireworks produce light, noise and air pollution. The explosions of
fireworks also release poisonous chemicals and particle-laden smoke,
which contaminate the environment. Wildlife living downwind from
fireworks displays are exposed to the hazards of these contaminants, as
are domesticated animals and humans with asthma.
Farmed animals do not escape the hazards of fireworks. Dr. Ian
Duncan, a University of Guelph ethnologist, has demonstrated that laying
hens show extremely low egg production the day after fireworks and the
eggs are often malformed.
The city of Carrollton, Texas, decided to cancel its 1999 July Fourth
fireworks celebration after a fireworks test indicated that the lights
and sounds disturbed egrets at a nearby rookery.
There is another consideration that I’ve been thinking about.
Fireworks mimic bombs and glorify war. Yes, they can be beautiful to
behold, but at what cost? Surely at this time when we are engaged in
a horrific war and thousands are being maimed by exploding bombs, we
should be able to find a less violent way to commemorate our nation’s
birth.
----
Using information from:
Ohio Animal Defense League
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