While statistics from the past two years show a slight downturn in incident complaints related to Guy Fawkes celebrations at the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre, the Animal Welfare Society of SA (AWS SA) said their operational team was kept busy throughout the weekend.
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‘The British tradition of Guy Fawkes, as with many other secular celebrations, has lost the plot and devolved into a commercial opportunity,’ said AWS SA in a Facebook post.
‘For fireworks manufacturers and sellers it was boom time. For the environment and countless wild animals and domestic pets, it was a night of trauma.’
Guy Fawkes celebrations have kept the AWS SA operational team busy over the weekend and well into the early hours of Monday morning, with an increased number of calls regarding lost and found animals still expected.
According to the animal organisation, two cats and a dog have been admitted with fireworks-related injuries over the course of the past 24 hours.
On Sunday morning, Inspector Mark Levendal from the Philippi branch was dispatched to rescue one of the cats in Highbury Park, Kuils River.
The cat was stuck in between barbed razor wire after attempting to escape from fire crackers that had been set off in the area by jumping a high wall.
Upon arrival, the cat was found in distress and with extensive deep lacerations over more than 50% of her body.
Levendal managed to free the cat and rushed her to the AWS hospital, where she was stabilised. Her prognosis is guarded.
The other cat was rescued by a concerned member of the public who noticed a group of youngsters place the cat in a bag filled with fire crackers. The male cat was able to be saved before any harm could be done.
According to the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, animals can hear a wider range of sounds than humans can and the sound of fireworks is at least seven times louder to them.
‘Now imagine it as a sudden, unexpected noise that can be as startling and distressing to a dog as a sonic boom or the shockwave from a large explosion would be to a human,’ added SPCA.
The dog had sustained serious injuries to his mouth and is in a serious but stable condition, AWS SA reported.
‘All of these pets are still as one would imagine very jumpy and skittish and it is going to take a long time for them to overcome the psychological trauma of their respective nightmarish ordeals,’ said the organisation.
AWS SA also warned that those responsible for the harm and trauma caused will be held accountable for their actions.
To report any animals in distress, please call 021 692 2626 during office hours or 082 601 1761 after hours.
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