Dog injures itself trying to escape fireworks
NEW Year’s Eve fireworks in Athol left Gary Eccles’ dog in total terror.
He said, “Our dog had tried to escape from the kitchen yard area and had attacked the door handle with her paws. When my son got to her, she had severely cut her paws and was bleeding.”
At midnight, several fireworks were discharged at a neighbouring house to which the dog reacted violently because it was petrified. “The dog suffers, as many dogs do, from the fear of loud noises such as that of severe thunder and, of course, fireworks,” said Eccles.
He left the seven-year-old female German pointer at home in the care of his 22-year-old son. His son contacted him about the incident and immediately rushed the dog to the vet where it was treated and spent the night.
“We paid the vet about R1 300. These costs are simply the initial costs as follow up visits have been, and will still be necessary. My son advised me that the fireworks continued well past 3am despite his request that they stop because of the dog. The music was eventually switched off at just past 8am in the morning of New Years Day,” said Eccles.
He admits that they had not made prior arrangements for the dog on New Year’s Eve. “This year we will try the drugs that they give the dogs during the festive season,” he added.
The City of Johannesburgs bylaws allow for fireworks to be used. However, fireworks are only allowed on New Years Eve (31 December) from 11pm to 1am and on New Years Day (1 January) from 7pm to 10pm.
