NZVA applauds Auckland Council’s push to ban public sale of fireworks

The New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) has applauded Auckland City Council’s decision to call on the Government to put a nationwide ban on the public sale of fireworks.

NZVA Chief Veterinary Officer Helen Beattie says every year veterinary clinics across the country treat injured and traumatised animals as a result of fireworks.

"Injuries from fireworks can be quite horrific and are entirely preventable, by making their private use illegal," she says.

These injuries often result from traumatised animals endangering themselves after escaping in a state of panic, she says.

"The psychological harm alone can be significantly damaging to their health and well-being."

Helen says a ban on the public sale of fireworks would improve animal welfare for animals affected by fireworks phobia and or anxiety, and those physically injured by fireworks.

"While we understand that many people enjoy fireworks, it is important there are appropriate controls in place to minimise their impact on domestic and farm animals, and also wildlife."

The Council’s decision came yesterday after around 90 per cent of the nearly 8,000 public submissions it received supported making the private sale and use of fireworks illegal. The Council already has a ban in place on the use of fireworks in public places in Auckland.

"Ours is one of the few countries in the world to acknowledge that, like humans, animals are sentient beings, which means they have negative and positive emotions. A ban on the sale of fireworks to the public is consistent with this legislation, and should be brought into law.

"The use of private fireworks has been banned or very tightly controlled in every state in Australia for many years. It’s high time that our Government looked closely at this issue here."

Helen says the harm caused by fireworks is not an issue limited to Guy Fawkes night because people buy and store fireworks for use at other times, which means it is a year round problem.

"This makes it even more difficult to manage and protect our more stressed and anxious animals, which may need to be treated over several weeks for fireworks phobia or anxiety.

"As the representative body of a profession that cares about the welfare of animals, the NZVA does not find this acceptable."

A petition with close to 18,000 signatures presented to Parliament in December 2018 showed a groundswell of support to ban public fireworks sales. Helen says she hopes the Government will take current attitudes into account should they consider a ban on the public sale of fireworks.

"We encourage the public, and other councils to continue to speak loudly on this issue, as they are supporting animals who cannot speak for themselves. We applaud the courage of Auckland Council and others for raising this important animal welfare issue with the Government," she says.

ENDS

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