The horrific effects fireworks have on animals
By Hannah McCotter
From the beginning of September, thousands of animals, big and small, are terrified by fireworks.
Calls are growing for action to reduce the noise and availability of fireworks.
A survey of nearly 193 Scottish veterinary practices recorded 8,243 animals killed or injured over a four-month period spanning the festivities.
Connie, 29, said: "My dog is traumatised every year by fireworks; he always shakes and hides away trying to get away from them."
Dog hiding under blanket l image by Ekaterina Savyolova via gettyimages
Dogs show many signs of distress during fireworks because sudden, loud explosions trigger a natural "fight-or-flight" survival response to a threat they cannot understand or locate. The Scottish SPCA recommend a few different strategies around this time of year, such as walking your dog earlier when fireworks are less likely to go off, turning on a TV or radio to muffle the noise, and also to create a safe space for your dog to hide in if needed.
Maddison, 21 from East Kilbride, said:" Fireworks should definitely be in a controlled environment, not just for the animals but for the safety of everyone too; they are very dangerous things."
This follows statistics that show 46 people in Scotland attended hospital for treatment after being injured by fireworks in just a four-week period last year. Over 37% of the firework injuries happened in Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Mairi McWilliams, 30, who lives in the city centre, said: "They get out of hand, people get hurt and probably killed. When you buy fireworks, you don't get any briefing about how to use them, and people use them irresponsibly."
On 5 November 2025, a total of 751 calls were made to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) between 3:30 pm and midnight, and firefighters attended more than 250 bonfires.
Firework control zones (FCZ) are being put in place in Glasgow from October 30 to November 9, 2026. These zones were introduced for Pollokshields, Govanhill and Broomhouse, which will help to reduce noise, disruption and anti-social behaviour in these areas. It is not an offence to use fireworks in a firework control zone if it is for the purpose of a public fireworks display by an appropriately trained and licensed professional fireworks operator. Or for the purpose of a public fireworks display organised by a community group, sports club, or other similar organisations.
Despite numerous animals being affected by fireworks, some don't bother. Mairi also said her indoor cats haven’t shown any adverse reactions to fireworks despite both being young.
Roughly 46% to 66% of cats are not reported as fearful or stressed by their owners, whereas compared to dogs, only around 38% to 60% of dogs do not show overt signs of fear or anxiety during fireworks. Cats seem to be calmer during the fireworks period.
Hopefully, with the FCZ being put in place, everyone, including animals, will be significantly safer during this time of year.