It happened two years ago. The jungle night was quiet (I live in a small area of the rainforest in Central America), except for a few toads singing under the moonlight. We were all in a deep sleep (canines and feline too) in preparation for the year anew. Then – noises louder than I had ever encountered! BAM! BAM! BAM! I was shaken out of bed. Lights filled the house, I thought I would soon be dead. Where was I, I couldn’t remember. What was happening, I couldn’t decide. An asthma attack came, I couldn’t breathe. My throat filled up, my hands were shaking, my heart was pounding, I couldn’t move. Was it gunfire, this sounded louder, lights – so blinding. The sounds of sizzling and crackling outside our bedroom window and roof. In the flashes of lights I could see our new puppy darting from one side of the room to the other trying to find safety, trying to jump out the window. Our older dog panting, heart beating, and hiding in the closet. Our cat flying under the bed, crying. How to make it all stop!!!

My husband’s words finally calmed me, as they always do. Then we realized it was fireworks from the neighbor’s above. Why did they have to shoot them right above our house? Why did they not warn us? All questions I came to ask the next day, and every year since.

We learned a lot that night, and we will never be the same this time of year. I learned that my PTSD (which I have experienced off and on throughout the years), comes when “shocked” and triggered by loud, sudden sounds. I am not alone. I learned that dogs too have PTSD, and can be negatively impacted forever from just one occurrence of fireworks. 

The debate goes on. It seems like every year in our mountain community there is a debate about fireworks, the pros/the cons (always more cons), but the fireworks continue on.  Why in this era of knowledge, where information is literally at our fingertips, do we still choose to do things that cause pain and suffering to other living beings. For example, a dog, whose hearing is 4 to 7 times stronger than a human’s can actually go deaf from fireworks – the sound literally is deafening! This is the same for wildlife, which we have a lot of in our area of the world. And, did you know 50% of dogs are afraid of fireworks? Cats, similar to dogs, can also suffer the consequences of fireworks, with episodes of hyperventilation (they breathe with difficulty), tachycardia (the heartbeat is accelerated), muscle tremors and in some cases even drooling, or hypersalivation. Also, no wildlife is immune from fireworks and the devastating consequences. Birds leave their nests from the sudden booms and lights, some never return back to their young. Other birds ingest the poisonous chemicals in the air and on the ground. A conscious choice to light up the sky for viewing pleasure leads to pain, suffering, even death. 

Not an animal lover or lover of the environment? The effects of fireworks aren’t discriminatory, in fact, they also affect humans. Not only do they adversely impact the air we breathe, but also the sudden noises, the sudden flashes cause those suffering from PTSD to be living their nightmares all over again. And, people with auditory/sensory processing disorders and mental health problems are also impacted. Many people enjoy the fireworks and don’t know the impact caused by them (I was once like this). Others may possibly know but don’t care or are indifferent. But, please understand that there is probably someone you love or living near you that is adversely impacted by fireworks.

What can be done? There are so many steps that can be taken to alleviate the pain, suffering, and death caused by fireworks. Besides the obvious, don’t use them, there are “silent” fireworks for those that are impacted by the sounds. Or, choose to not shoot the fireworks off yourself but go somewhere else, a public venue that is having fireworks. Many parts of the world do just this because fireworks are often illegal for individual use in many areas of the world. Other countries or towns are banning them altogether. Yes, fireworks have been (and will continue to be) a part of tradition, a part of culture. But, cultures are never static. They are always evolving and changing due to technological advancements, education, changing social norms, and migration. Other suggestions are to talk to your neighbors about having a firework-free neighborhood, especially if you live in close proximity to your neighbors or live in an area surrounded by nature. But, if you must have them in your neighborhood, please let your neighbors know the exact place, exact time, and the type of fireworks, so they can prepare for the event. With this information, they can secure themselves, their family pets, and their farm animals. This strategy doesn’t work well for the wildlife or the environment, but it does help protect, prevent, and save many lives. Doesn’t that sound like a good thing?

This year, please say NO to fireworks and YES to Protecting those around you, Saving those who cannot defend for themselves, and Preventing environmental hazards. Thank you!

Together, we make change.

Blessings❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤍

Alexis