Italian Town Switches to Silent Fireworks to Reduce Anxiety in Animals

• Collecchio wants to lessen the anxiety of dogs and local wildlife during major festivities.
• In 2011, around 5000 birds fell from the sky in Arkansas because of fireworks.
• A lot of fireworks companies are now selling silent fireworks.

Fireworks are a staple in almost every major festivities and who doesn’t like them? Unless you have some sort of phobia for fireworks, gazing at the sky lighting up with beautiful colors and shapes will always be a spectacle.

Unfortunately, some of our furry friends do not feel the same, especially dogs. Dogs are known for being terrified of loud noise and this includes fireworks.

You probably notice dogs panicking and frantically looking for a place to hide every Fourth of July or the New Year.

A town in Italy wants to make life better for dogs by switching to silent fireworks.

Collecchio, in the province of Parma, has introduced a law that forbid the use of conventional fireworks. They wanted to reduce the stress that dogs and local wildlife experience during celebrations.

In 2011, up to 5000 dead red-winged blackbirds fell from the sky in Beebe, Arkansas on New Year’s Eve. Fireworks were identified as the culprit behind the tragedy.

The birds were sent for laboratory examinations and results revealed that the birds experienced “acute physical trauma.”

Officials believe that the distressed birds flew into trees and chimneys trying to escape the fireworks.

Fireworks can also scare large mammals like coyotes and deers. The panic can send them scampering towards the roads where they can be hit by vehicles.

Fireworks manufacturers are recognizing the market for this preference. Rino Sampieri, senior display manager at England-based company Fantastic Fireworks, said that they have seen more competitors for this in the last decade or so. Silent fireworks have become of every fireworks company’s inventory.

Not only will this law ease the stress among animals in Collecchio, this will also allow pet owners to join the festivities without having to worry about their animals. This will also benefit children or elderly people who have sensitive hearing or just don’t like loud noises.