One of my favorite destinations is our local Metropark. I love to find a quiet bench at dusk and listen to the symphony of owls and crickets mixed with the rustling of nocturnal animals scurrying about.
Years ago, I went to the park’s annual Fourth of July fireworks show. Thousands of people oohed and aahed as flashes and booms filled the sky.
When the show was over, my car wouldn’t start, and I had to wait for the traffic to clear before calling for help. I walked to a secluded area to listen to the familiar hooting, chirping and rustling. Not a sound. I sat in silence, ashamed, as I realized why it was so quiet.
Humans had bombarded the animals who live there with what must’ve been terrifying explosions, scaring them silent. Since then, I’ve learned just how detrimental fireworks are to wildlife and other animals and why it’s time to replace them with animal-friendly celebrations.
A comprehensive study published in Pacific Conservation Biology explored the overwhelmingly negative impacts of fireworks on animals, including how noise and light disturbances significantly disrupt the migratory patterns and reproductive behaviors of various wildlife species while also severely distressing domesticated animals.
The study cited numerous instances in which fireworks had harmed specific animals, such as their role in the decline of Brandt’s cormorant colonies along the California coast. Fireworks’ ruckus leads to confusion and disorientation in these and other seabirds, causing them to abandon their nests, leaving their vulnerable eggs and chicks exposed to predators.
On the ground, fireworks cause animals to run for their lives, which, ironically, often leads to their deaths. In one case, a juvenile gray fox darted into the road after being startled by fireworks. She was hit by a car and became lodged in its grill, sustaining many painful injuries. Despite efforts to save her life, she died during surgery. Countless other animals frightened onto roadways by fireworks die alone and in agony.
It isn’t just the commotion fireworks create that harms wildlife. Animals often ingest the plastic, wood and cardboard pieces that fall to the ground — or inadvertently feed the debris to their babies — posing risks such as choking and poisoning. Additionally, these pyrotechnic explosions cause thousands of wildfires that kill untold numbers of animals every year.
Fireworks also unleash a cascade of toxins — including mercury, carbon monoxide, aluminum and sulfur — which can increase the amount of pollutants in the air by up to 42% and fall into lakes and rivers, harming aquatic life.
And fireworks terrify the animals who share our homes, causing some to become severely injured and lost in their attempts to escape the startling blasts. Dogs have smashed through windows and screen doors and dug under fences — and animal shelter intakes skyrocket in the days following the Fourth of July.
If you have a dog and there will be fireworks nearby, take your canine companion for a walk or to the park to tire them out before the blasts start, and please plan to stay home once they do. Play soothing music to drown out the unsettling sounds, close the windows and blinds and keep some new toys on hand as distractions.
A ThunderShirt — which works by providing gentle pressure to calm anxiety and fear — can help your dog or cat cope with the disturbance. If your animals are severely stressed by fireworks, talk to your veterinarian. All animal companions should be microchipped and wear collars with identification tags.
Fortunately, a growing number of communities are recognizing the need for change. Exciting alternatives to fireworks displays, such as laser shows, offer all the spectacle without the fear and damage, and residents love them!
My holiday looks a little different now that I know all this. I start my day oohing and aahing as the annual parade marches through town, then I take a long walk with my playful pups and end the day with a vegan BBQ with friends. I’ve learned that glowing kindness far surpasses the glaring indifference of fireworks.
Melissa Rae Sanger is a licensed veterinary technician and a staff writer for the PETA Foundation, 501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510; www.PETA.org.