A petition for fireworks to be banned for all but four days of the year, to reduce stress and fear in animals and pets, will be debated by MPs.
The petition, backed by 100,000 people calls for restrictions to be in place for all nights other than Bonfire Night, New Year’s Eve, Diwali and the Chinese New Year.
The Government responded to the petition by stating: “We are aware that fireworks can cause distress to animals. Restrictions on the general public’s use of fireworks, and permitted noise levels, already exist and we have no plans to extend them.
“We understand concerns about the distress noisy fireworks can cause to pets, livestock and wildlife. This is one of the reasons that there is a noise level limit of 120 decibels on fireworks for home use. We realise, however, that even at this level fireworks noise can be distressing to some animals and refer owners to advice on keeping animals safe during fireworks periods.
“This is freely available from animal charities, such as the Blue Cross which gives both general and species-specific advice on its website.”
The debate is due to take place on 6 June 2016.
