Every year at about this time, those of us with pets are once again considering the options of trying to lessen the negative effects that fireworks can have on our dog, cat, or other animals we keep and care for.
Animals don’t really care for the loud unexpected sounds that nature might produce as a rule anyway because every time a storm rolls through with all of the thunder claps and lightning, our dog finds refuge under my desk.
In the case of storms, the noises are accompanied by previous warning signs, so that animals can perceive them in advance. A storm, even with it’s advanced warning, still can cause anguish, but it does not cause them the unexpected fright caused by fireworks, which are sudden and not identifiable.
Dogs are able to hear up to 60,000hz, while humans can’t hear anything above 20,000hz, which is only a third of the capacity of dogs.
This auditory acuity of dogs is one of the reasons the sound of fireworks can be so harmful to them. They show signs of overwhelming anxiety because they can’t escape from the sound.
Every year I venture down to the river to watch the fireworks show and in the back of my mind I can’t help but wonder about the effects the show is having on our nesting Geese population — birds are known to die of fright due to the unexpected decibel levels that fireworks can cause.
In an effort to reduce the symptoms caused by the acoustic stress that fireworks can cause to our pets and wildlife, the small town of Collecchio, Italy is doing something about it.
The town has passed an ordinance that requires it’s citizens to use silent fireworks.
Because most animals are far more sensitive to noise than humans, an entire town in Italy is taking action to protect local animals from the stress caused by fireworks displays.
The ordinance is aiming to ensure that local wildlife is respected and that the stress experienced by animals is lessened substantially.
One of the companies that has recently benefited from the new ordinance is Setti Fireworks, which provides fireworks that produce a spectacular light show without the deafening sounds.
Though the explosive sounds of fireworks may never completely go away, Setti has come up with ways to greatly reduce the extreme decibel levels of it’s product in order to mitigate the disastrous effects on our pets and wildlife
It seems that Setti Fireworks designs their fireworks to fit the venue and event they will be used for.
According to the company website:
Safety is power, safety is reliability.
Our philosophy is enclosed in this concept: we are totally safe, always reliable.
Because we invest more every day in new pyrotechnic technologies.
We humans, as we become more aware of our connective surroundings, can use our science, our intellect, our caring — to come up with ways to mitigate the damage we might do to the creatures that we cohabitate with daily.
We might never come up with ways to prevent the impacts of a storm, but we can come up with ways to help prevent the impacts of us — The technology used by Setti Fireworks is a good start.
Thanks for the read
Happy Trails
