Silent Fireworks! Protecting Pets and Wildlife.

Protecting Pets and Wildlife from Fireworks

Silent fireworks would reduce stress and anxiety for people, pets and wildlife. Our pets and wildlife are more sensitive to loud noises, bright flashes of light and strong smells. So imagine how frightened they must be during fireworks displays.  I personally never liked the loud BOOMS that shake the ground. Even as a child I thought I would enjoy fireworks more without the loud soul-shaking percussive sounds.

The ears of most animals are considerably more sensitive than the human ear.  The explosion of a firework  can emit sounds of up to 190 decibels! This is a full 110 to 115 decibels higher than the 75- to 80-decibel range, that causes damage to the human ear.  Fireworks generate a noise level higher than the noise from gunshots (140 decibels) and low-level flying jets (100 decibels). Irreversible ear damage, such as tinnitus and loss of hearing in humans starts at the 80-decibel range.

Firework explosions can cause extreme anxiety in animals. The explosions caused by fireworks have been documented to cause some domestic pets heart problems, nausea, tremors, and debilitating fears. Animal shelters become overwhelmed with an increased number of strays and reports of injuries and trauma to pets as terrorized animals run from their homes to escape the loud traumatizing sound of fireworks.

The impact of human disturbance on wildlife is a major concern in conservation biology. Research is building that shows fireworks has a negative effect on wildlife. One such study shows that hundreds of thousands of birds in the Netherlands take flight due to fireworks. These birds flew up to several hundred meters in altitude while their usual daily movements  normally occur below 100 meters.

Fireworks without the BOOM!  Silent Fireworks Displays

I understand fireworks are a big part of celebrations around the world, but wouldn’t it be amazing, if we could still experience the light show without the high decibel noise? The good news is we can with silent fireworks.

 An Italian company, Setti Fireworks, makes fireworks which produce a spectacular light show but without the deafening sounds that typically accompany  a firework display.  The Italian people of Collecchio, in the province of Parma, decided they no longer wanted to traumatize their animals with loud fireworks displays. In fact,  the local government introduced legislation forcing citizens to use silent fireworks as a way of showing respect for animals and reducing the stress caused by the loud firework displays.

Bravo!  Perhaps we can follow in their footsteps.