15 July 2024

Společnost pro zvířata

Society for Animals, recently co-organised a workshop in the Czech Parliament about the dangers associated with pyrotechnics and fireworks, and the harm they can cause to pets and wild animals. Progress on some national legislative proposals in this area is also due soon, hopefully leading to much stricter regulations on fireworks in the near future.

On March 6 2024, several specialists and Members of the Parliament, including Marek Výborný (the Czech Minister of Agriculture) and Petr Hladík (the Czech Minister of the Environment) discussed the issue of pyrotechnics and their effects on domestic and wild animals at the Czech Parliament. 

A representative from Society for Animals, Judit Laura Krásná, gave a presentation on the serious problems fireworks and pyrotechnics can cause, including their negative consequences for people and animals, and their threats to safety. 

90% of respondents to a survey commissioned by the Ministry of the Environment agreed fireworks should be better regulated, while several attendees at the workshop, including Society for Animals and air quality experts, agreed they should be banned entirely. 

This discussion was complemented by a petition, produced by Society for Animals and handed over to the Czech MPs’ petition committee in April, to stop the sale of fireworks. Present MPs also agreed that pyrotechnics for entertainment should be regulated, and some categories banned.

Legislative proposals to regulate fireworks in the Czech Republic have been submitted

Since last year and in collaboration with lawyers, Society for Animals submitted some legislative proposals regarding the use of fireworks and pyrotechnics in the Czech Republic.

Supporting its goal, the NGO met several times with the Minister of the Environment, as well as relevant parties such as firemen, sanitation stations, and air pollution specialists, showing the broad range of impacts originating from this issue. It also commissioned a professional measurement of noise and vibration during a huge fireworks display during a summer event in Brno. Learn more here.

The legislative proposals include to:

End the sale and use of outdoor fireworks within categories F2 and F3 for the general public (only professionally-qualified people could continue to use them, under specific circumstances);

Significantly restrict the use of fireworks within the specific contexts in which they are still allowed, including by establishing protective distances of 1000-2000 metres and with a ban on using them near watercourses, lakes, dams, ponds, and wetlands.

Over 50 NGOs in the Czech Republic signed Society for Animals’ open letter to the Czech government supporting its legislative proposals – and such changes have been proven possible. In Ireland, for example, category F2 and F3 fireworks are fully forbidden to be used by the public, and those that do can face significant fines, or even be criminally charged.

The proposals are now ready to be negotiated in the Czech Parliament. Watch this space.

Pyrotechnics can cause great distress to animals 

The effects of fireworks and pyrotechnics on animals can be severe. 

Wild animals generally panic and try to escape the sounds, which often result in injuries or even death, either from exhaustion or from colliding into objects – including moving vehicles.

Due to the high stress levels fireworks can cause, pregnant animals can lose their unborn babies, and domestic animals can run away from their homes. There are even occasions where explosions can hit animals directly, especially birds, bats, and insects. 

It’s clear that the unregulated use of fireworks and pyrotechnics are not aligned with animal welfare. We applaud the work of our member, Society for Animals, for their work in this area, and hope legislative progress soon follows suit.

Mark