Every year at New Year's Eve, millions of animals in this country are affected by stress, panic, and days of turmoil. The German Animal Welfare Federation is therefore calling for an end to the private purchase and use of fireworks on New Year's Eve and is supporting the “Böllerciao” campaign launched by Deutsche Umwelthilfe (German Environmental Aid). As long as the use of explosives is not prohibited as it is on all other days of the year, local authorities should at least keep areas around animal facilities such as animal shelters free of fireworks. The association also appeals to all animal lovers to voluntarily refrain from using fireworks on New Year's Eve.
"Of course, New Year's Eve is a special day. However, we do not understand why it has to be ‘celebrated’ with as many explosives as possible, without consideration for millions of animals. There are so many ways to celebrate considerately. Some cities are already showing with drone shows what New Year's Eve can look like without frightened animals, litter, and the risk of injury," says Thomas Schröder, president of the German Animal Welfare Federation. "There is no such thing as animal-friendly fireworks. Staying away from certain facilities such as animal shelters or zoos, or avoiding residential areas where many dogs, cats, and other pets are affected, is a good idea. However, anyone who truly cares about animals is aware that there are animals everywhere that suffer from fireworks – and that on this day, they have few places to escape or retreat to."
NOISE, THE SMELL OF BURNING, AND FLASHES OF LIGHT ARE A NIGHTMARE FOR ANIMALS
Whether in residential areas, parks, fields, meadows, or at the edges of forests: animals everywhere are affected by New Year's Eve. Most animal species suffer particularly because of their sensitive hearing – and can also develop permanent damage or long-term noise phobia as a result of the fireworks. For frightened wild animals such as wild birds or hedgehogs, which leave their sleeping places in the middle of the night under considerable stress, the loss of energy in winter can be fatal. Pigs, cattle, sheep, and especially horses are also sensitive and can injure themselves seriously when they try to flee in panic. Last but not least, there is an increased risk of fire at many livestock farms. Vast quantities of fireworks also end up in the natural environment, causing lasting damage with toxic dyes, heavy metals, and other substances.
LOCAL AUTHORITIES SHOULD AT LEAST ESTABLISH PROTECTED ZONES
Despite their particular vulnerability to noise pollution, animal husbandry facilities are not specifically listed in the absolute prohibitions of the First Ordinance to the Explosives Act. The German Animal Welfare Federation points out that local authorities could, at least for fire safety reasons or in densely populated areas, issue a general ruling exempting certain areas from the permission to set off New Year's Eve fireworks. “This leeway should definitely be exploited to the full!” says Schröder. “This would at least protect facilities such as animal shelters, zoos, farms, and horse stables. When fireworks are set off in the immediate vicinity, many animals are severely affected at once.”
Note to editors: More information on the German Environmental Aid Association's “Böllerciao” campaign can be found here: www.duh.de/mitmachen/boellerfreies-silvester. Animal lovers have the opportunity to sign an open letter to Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt on the website calling for a ban on fireworks in Germany.
