The Cape of Good Hope SPCA said that what was expected to be another busy night of firework-related incident calls turned out to be a record-breaking peaceful Guy Fawkes on Tuesday evening, reports Cape {town} Etc.
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‘The Cape of Good Hope SPCA is delighted to report the quietest Guy Fawkes on record in terms of animal welfare, marking a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to protect animals from the stress and dangers often associated with fireworks,’ said the SPCA in a statement.
‘With Guy Fawkes being a foreign tradition that has long impacted animals in South Africa, it is heartening to see such a positive change.’
The animal welfare organisation reportedly received 32 calls on their emergency line on Tuesday evening, with just three potentially linked to fireworks, attributing the historically low record to compliant Cape Town residents and City authorities, who were on high alert.
Cape {town} Etc previously reported that the City of Cape Town discontinued designated firework locations for Diwali, Guy Fawkes Night and New Year’s Eve in 2019 and – despite the controversy of 2023’s V&A New Year’s Eve saga – has continued its stance since then.
While fireworks-popularity and fireworks-related incidents have declined in recent years, with a 31% drop recorded last year by the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre, the animal welfare organisation still prepared for the worst.
‘Expecting the worst, we had six inspectors on standby throughout the night, ready to assist with emergencies,’ the SPCA added.
‘Additionally, two controllers were fielding calls to provide timely assistance to the public and a controller was on duty at the City of Cape Town Joint Operations Centre, to ensure we had our finger directly on the pulse of any animal related crises.’
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Even with statistics from the past few years showing a slight downturn in Guy Fawkes-related distress calls, the Animal Welfare Society of SA (AWS SA) reported that their operational team was kept busy throughout the weekend an into the early hours of the Monday morning last year.
According to the organisation, firework activity appeared to be limited to only a few areas including Manenberg, Tafelsig, Bokmakierie and Elsies River. SPCA Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse added that by 10pm on Tuesday, the controller at the Joint Operations Centre confirmed that ‘calm reigned in general, with no significant disturbances impacting animals’.
Despite the historically peaceful evening, SPCA remains on high alert for any injured or distressed animals that may have been fled from the noise in affected areas.
‘Terrified animals can cover large distances, so we urge residents to keep an eye out for animals in need and to contact us for assistance,’ SPCA concluded. ‘Please call 083 326 1604 or 021 700 4158/9 if you see an animal in distress.’
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Picture: JP Smith / Facebook
