Puppy was Literally Scared to Death from Cardiac Arrest Due to Fireworks

(Photo : Susan Paterson)
Molly (the black puppy) was just 18-month when she suffered from cardiac arrest.

Scared to death? It is actually possible, and unfortunately, it happened to an 18-week old puppy during a firework display.

The dog's owner, Susan Paterson, shared on Facebook group Wombwell Wise that her terrier puppy, Molly, got frightened from the loud explosion coming from a nearby pyrotechnic display. As a result, the puppy suffered from cardiac arrest. 

Paterson urged the public to support the call to restrict fireworks use and to like and share the advocacy of the FAB Anti-Random Firework Page. She also urged everyone support its agenda.

As of the time of writing, the post has gotten over 75,000 Facebook shares.

The Petition

Through Change.org, a petition to review the fireworks regulation was started by Julie Doorne, who hailed from the United Kingdom.

According to her, animals do not just suffered from psychological distressed, they may also get hurt physical while trying to run away from the extreme noise. She also cites some examples, like horse crashing into the door of the stable.

Doorne also wrote that the existing firework-regulating laws, 2003 Fireworks Act and the 2004 Fireworks Regulations, are not enough. She wants to restrict the private use of fireworks, requires public firework display to be licensed, and to control the noise level of the fireworks.

The petition has been signed by at least 500,000 individuals, with some of them sharing their own story.

Sarah Reed, for instance, said that sometimes she would sedate her sheepdogs just to calm them down during New York. She also hates the fireworks' debris that falls down on her field as it frightens her sheep and horses.

Former Fire Officer Billie McVinnie, on the other hand, signed the petition because he "experienced firsthand the injuries and distress fireworks can cause".

The petition was addressed to RSPCA.

Claire McParland, a spokesperson from RSPCA, claimed that they were aware of the impact of fireworks to the animals yearly, and they are urging the government to address the concern of the animal owners. 

Since 2014, at least 2,200 people have called for their firework-related concerns, the RSPCA reported.

Impact of Fireworks to Animals

There are multiple studies and surveys which reveal that the noise coming from the fireworks is causing distress to animals. And according to non-profit wildlife conservation group Westsound Wildlife, it can also result in various accidents, like a deer getting hit by a vehicle while fleeing to the main road. Wildlife parents might also become disoriented, which might end on them leaving their nests and babies behind or being lost after fleeing away from home too far.

Moreover, some animals also mistakenly eat the remnants of fireworks, and it often results to choking and death.

Lastly, the fumes that fireworks emit might be poisonous to some animals.

Yet despite that, the organization said that it is not necessary to eliminate the tradition itself. They just call users to be responsible. Some pointers they mentioned include lighting fireworks on an area away from animals and cleaning up the debris after the display.