LETTER | Fireworks traumatise pets, wildlife

LETTER | The Consumer Association of Penang (CAP) has backed the Selangor Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) chairperson Christine Chin to protect pets from the effects of firecrackers and fireworks during festive seasons. 

Fireworks and firecrackers, a feature of Malaysian festivals, have traumatised animals and left them quivering from fear. 

It is important to remember that the hearing of many animals tends to be much more sensitive than humans. 

Explosions from fireworks can physically hurt and permanently damage their hearing and threaten their lives in different ways.

The sound of explosions and the bright bursts of lights terrify domestic pets and wildlife. 

Making a frantic escape is a survival instinct for dogs and cats when they become frightened by the noise and commotion of firecrackers and fireworks. As a result, they may run away in fear, get lost and become homeless, or be involved in traffic accidents while fleeing in a panicked state. 

For wildlife, loud sounds from firecrackers often make them anxious and afraid, such as causing birds to take flight. Many flee their nests at the sound of an explosion and will not know how to return to their young after the noise dissipation, leaving their hatchlings cold, hungry, or falling victim to predators. 

There is also the danger of birds crashing into buildings as they flee to escape or become disoriented due to the sudden burst of lights from the fireworks. Fireworks also cause frightened birds to burn vital energy reserves, especially if they tend their young. 

Some birds fly higher only to be exposed to harmful by-products from fireworks, including sulphur dioxide and nitric oxide. Sulphur dioxide is a threat to animal health. 

Apart from noise pollution, firecrackers and fireworks can easily startle the sick, elderly and infants, causing much inconvenience to them. Inhalation of firecrackers and fireworks gaseous by-products is toxic to humans as well. The gases can cause significant discomfort to adults, and they could induce coughing and asthma in allergic children. 

However, these may pale in comparison with the sufferings of those whose homes have been razed by fireworks or set ablaze by sparklers, rockets or bottle rockets. There are also incidents of children ending up with permanent disabilities due to loss of limbs or hearing caused by homemade or modified fireworks. 

CAP has been instrumental in calling for a ban on fireworks and firecrackers for over two decades. It is difficult to understand why this call has fallen on deaf ears. 

The latest move by the Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming to legalise firecrackers and fireworks in the country to halt the smuggling of these items is a great disappointment to CAP. His intent was to prevent the smuggling of these items - a good intent with bad outcomes.

From the perspective of environmental protection, CAP believes there are strong grounds, both environmentally and legally, for banning firecrackers and fireworks, which will prevent environmental pollution, ensure people's safety, protect property, and maintain a harmonious social order. 

As such, CAP reiterates its stand for a blanket ban on the sale of fireworks to the public to prevent accidents and injury and distress to pets and wildlife.

The writer is the CAP president.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.