It is that dreaded time of the year again when pet owners fear for the safety of their animals and SPCAs and animal shelters will be swamped with scared, lost and often injured animals due to the need of other residents to use fireworks to celebrate the start of  the new year.

Most residents feel that fireworks should be banned completely, but until stricter laws are in place against fireworks, it will be up to residents to try and convince or plea with their neighbors not to use fireworks when celebrating.

The *FIREWORKS* LAW in SOUTH AFRICA falls under the *EXPLOSIVES ACT NO 26 of 1956 and states the following:

Use of fireworks prohibited in certain circumstances:

1) unless so authorised in *TERMS* of *SECTION 33* no person may use fireworks

a) within 500 meters of any explosives factory, explosives storage place, petrol depot or petrol station…
b) within 100 meters of any buildings, roads and railway lines….
c) within 20 meters from any telephone lines, power lines, trees or any other overhead obstructions…
d) within 100 meters of any parked vehicles…
e) inside any buildings…
f) at any public place for example in parks, on pavements or in the street….
g) within 2 kilometers from old age homes, hospitals, schools or animal welfare organisations or institutions….
h) no person may light or ignite fireworks in any place where animals are present….
i) no persons under the age of 16 years may light or ignite fireworks. Subsection (1)(2)(3)
j) no persons under the influence of alcohol may light or ignite fireworks…
k) it is unlawful for any person to point or direct a firework at any other person, animal, building, or motor vehicle, where such firework is in the process of exploding or detonating…

Penalty Clause:

Any person convicted of an offense in terms of Subsection (1), shall be liable to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year, or to both a fine or such imprisonment…
*(PROVINCIAL GAZETTE, 4 SEPTEMBER 2017 NO 2131 268)*

TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO KEEP YOUR PETS SAFE:

*Keep them indoors

*Turn up the sound on the TV and comfort them (don’t leave them alone)

*Make sure they have a tag on just in case they do run away

*Consult your vet beforehand and get medication to calm them

Also try this to help calm your dog.