Guide dog users are being prevented from going outside due to the distress caused by loud fireworks, Labour MP Sarah Owen has claimed. The MP for Luton North brought forward a proposal to limit the sale of fireworks louder than 90 decibels, arguing that the current regulations are failing to protect both the public and animals from the adverse effects of excessively noisy fireworks. However, MPs ran out of time to discuss her proposal in the House of Commons on Friday.
Ms Owen’s private member’s Bill, introduced under the Fireworks Bill, targets “nuisance, loud fireworks,” and aims to curb the noise that has been causing widespread disturbance across communities. She stated: “This is having a detrimental impact on not just our environment, not just on people’s mental health, but also on education as well.”
Fireworks have been causing significant distress in Luton North and other parts of the country, with complaints about their increasing volume, frequency, and antisocial use. Many reports have highlighted the misuse of fireworks, with some being deployed almost as weapons in certain communities. Ms Owen pointed out that this year was potentially the worst yet in terms of the disruptive impact of fireworks, especially during the night.
Under current regulations, fireworks available to the public can reach a noise level of 120 decibels, which Ms Owen likened to the sound of a rock concert. She said: “Now I’m loud, but that is as loud as a rock concert, and any member of the public can go ahead and buy something that loud.” She argued that this level of noise is unreasonable, especially for vulnerable individuals.
The impact on individuals with special needs was also raised by Ms Owen, who explained that the sporadic nature of fireworks causes significant distress for non-verbal autistic children and young people. Many parents have shared that the unpredictability of fireworks makes it impossible to prepare their children, leading to heightened anxiety and discomfort. The lack of ability to plan or prepare for these sudden bursts of noise, particularly at night, has left parents struggling to manage their children’s distress.
Dr Neil Hudson, Conservative shadow environment minister and a veterinary professional, also expressed concern over the impact of fireworks on animals. He described distressing scenes of pets cowering in fear, pets going missing, and even farm animals and livestock injuring themselves as a result of fireworks. He said: “Pets that go missing, but then also farm animal livestock or horses that bolt and cause themselves horrific injuries.”
Ms Owen responded to criticisms from some in the fireworks lobby, who suggested that pet owners simply need to train their pets better. She pointed out that guide dogs, which are among the best-trained animals, are still affected by fireworks to the point where their owners are unable to go outside when fireworks are being set off. “You can’t get better trained than a guide dog, and yet I spoke to guide dog users and they’ve told me that it impacts them so much that they cannot go outside when fireworks are going off,” she explained.
The Fireworks Bill, which aims to address these issues, is scheduled to be debated again on April 25. This is part of a series of legislative proposals that have been delayed in Parliament, including the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill, which was proposed by Conservative MP David Reed. This Bill, which would ban the import of hunting trophies into the UK, has been rescheduled for June 13.
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Edith Kabesiime, wildlife campaign manager at World Animal Protection Africa, expressed disappointment that the Hunting Trophies Bill has not progressed. She emphasised the need to protect wildlife from the cruelty of trophy hunting, calling for the banning of hunting trophies being brought into Great Britain. “It is simply the right thing to do. Our wildlife must be protected,” she said.
Another piece of delayed legislation is the Chalk Streams (Protection) Bill, proposed by Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Green. The Bill, which aims to protect England’s chalk streams from pollution, has been rescheduled for March 28.
As fireworks continue to disrupt communities and harm animals, the public will be watching closely to see if the Fireworks Bill will make headway in Parliament and lead to a reduction in the sale and use of excessively loud fireworks.
