Fireworks spark up angry pet owner

DISTURBED by residents’ indiscriminate use of fireworks, an irate Meerensee homeowner, Adriaan Vorster, returned home to a bloody gate after his dog attempted to force her way through the steel grid trying to escape the thunderous noise.

The incident, which took place last week, resulted in his Weimaraner being seriously injured – a mouth full of broken teeth and countless cuts all over her body.

‘A few weeks ago one of my neighbours’ dogs went missing after ‘bombs’ were set off in our area, and up until today, it is still missing.

‘I really hope people will start thinking about the trauma these animals go through and act accordingly,’ Vorster said.

Apart from the skyrocketing vet bills Vorster is now faced with, he now also has to deal with a traumatised pet.

According to Richards Bay SPCA’s Inspector Shelly Prinsloo, pet owners should keep their dogs in a closed room or garage with music playing in the background, as this will help ease the loud bangs from fireworks.

‘People need to realise dogs hear sounds 10 times more loudly than a human, and that’s the reason behind their terrified reactions.

‘Most situations in the Richards Bay area involve dogs getting hurt from breaking windows while trying to flee from the fireworks,’ she said.

With people likely to use fireworks during this festive period, Prinsloo advised residents to ensure their pets have positive identification tags in case they run off, and also suggested the purchase of calming tablets to assist in keeping animals relaxed.