Letter: “Does society lack empathy?”
The following is a letter written by our very own Membership Secretary, Elena, on her family’s frightening experience of Bonfire Night weekend…
As with every year prior, the recent bonfire night saw a great many people excitedly taking in the spectacle of firework displays. Radio programs shared the various locations for organised displays, and for those keen to have their own personal show, Tesco and other supermarkets sold fireworks front and centre of the stores.
Where I live in England, there are houses all around us, and beyond the houses, the Dee Estuary with Wales on the other side. Every year on bonfire night and New Year’s midnight, I find myself living in what feels like a war zone. My neighbours either side set off their own private displays, the school nearby has an organised display, and across the Dee, Wales is lit up as though in a colourful war. Then there’s Liverpool - thankfully far enough away that the whizz and bangs are faint, but the picture I’m painting here is one that shows there is nowhere to escape from what is not an amazing wondrous spectacle for myself and my family.
A video of just some of the fireworks outside Elena’s house on the 4th November.
I am a single mother with two children, two rescue cats, rescue rabbits and a rescue greyhound. Recently it was suggested that my 10 year old daughter is on the autistic spectrum. Indeed, it would account for her sensitivity to loud noises – school discos were a nightmare for her. So you can imagine what fireworks not 100 feet away from us is like for her. This year she was so upset, she clutched onto me in tears and begged me to make it stop. It was enough to push me out of “be polite and just get through it” mode to run across the street to our neighbour’s large back garden where they were setting off another round, and beg them to stop for the sake of my daughter. The initial response was “c’mon, it’s just once a year”. I apologised for interrupting and, trying to keep the upset out of my own voice, explained that my daughter was crying and had begged me to make it stop. Telling her it was just once a year and to suck it up hardly felt right. Thankfully, our neighbour said as it was for my daughter he would stop, for which we were very grateful as these neighbours love their annual firework displays. They kindly refrained from setting off more fireworks on the Sunday night as well, something they’d historically do. I shall be sending them a big thank you note for putting the well-being of a child before their love of fireworks.
A video of Elena’s daughter and rescue greyhound, trying to comfort each other.
The act of putting the wellbeing of others first is something that too often falls by the wayside when it comes to what people enjoy to the detriment of others. Fireworks certainly demonstrate this, as those who are not affected or do not have loved ones who are affected, do not register what is said every year – fireworks cause a lot of harm. Does our society lack empathy? Are they incapable of asking themselves: what might it be like for someone with autism, PTSD, hyper-sensitive hearing (such as many pets and wildlife)?
Animal Concern campaigns to see better legislation around fireworks. In Scotland, the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022 has set out steps to decrease anti-social behaviour around fireworks and set time frames for when they can be set off. We do not think it goes nearly far enough. A full UK-wide ban on the public sale of fireworks, allowing only professional licensed displays, is the only way forward that allows those impacted by fireworks to adequately prepare for the effects and decrease exposure to them.
In my current work and a life of working with animals, I’ve encountered many tragic stories of animals who have been affected by fireworks to the point of death. Dogs having extreme seizures or running away in terror if outside during unexpected displays, or bangers set off at random hours, pregnant horses miscarrying foals, running in terror to the point of heart failure or dying of exhaustion, horses convulsing in their stalls or trying to jump the doors to escape the loud bangs, birds flying into objects in panic and terror. Not nearly enough research has been done on the overall impact on wildlife, though we are surely all aware of the environmental impact of fireworks - however much one might try not to notice the vast amount of smoke and rubbish left in the wake of the bright lights, it’s there.
Tallulah, traumatised and catatonic after New Year fireworks this year.
If people can’t be bothered caring about the impact on so many animals, there are also a great many people who suffer horribly from the effects of fireworks. My daughter is but one example, and at least she was able to understand the cause of the noise and know it would eventually stop. For those with dementia, schizophrenia, severe autism or other mental health conditions, there is no explaining to them that its “only fireworks”. For those with PTSD from serving in wars or fleeing conflict, are we really okay with firework displays causing them to relive unimaginable experiences? Anyone following the war in Gaza on the news will surely understand how the noise of fireworks can trigger severe anxiety - for anyone who has come here from war torn countries, or anyone living here who has friends/family in the war zone, the sound of fireworks can only bring further trauma.
We tend to care about things only as far as we can see – out of sight, out of mind. I believe we can all do better as a society, and sometimes that means putting away the bright shiny (loud) things that many enjoy for the sake of the many who suffer as a result.
Elena Edwards
On behalf of Animal Concern Ltd, my children, my animals, and all who suffer from fireworks.