Change firework laws to protect animals and people
For countless animals — and many people too — fireworks are not a celebration, they feed anxiety, fear and cause injury or, in the worst cases, death. Awareness is rising, but the law is lagging behind. Change is overdue, and we still need YOUR voice to make it happen.
Help quieten the noise: Change fireworks laws in the UK
Join us in our RSPCA fireworks petition, urging your local MP to take action on fireworks laws and protect animals — from pets and horses to livestock and wildlife — by implementing our recommendations. Add your voice and help us quieten the noise using our pre-written email below.
Fireworks are loud — but together our voices are louder. Let’s demand the change animals need.
Call for stronger controls on fireworks
Fireworks are used in celebration – but while we celebrate, many animals endure terror. Each year, through our impact reports, we hear of the devastation, injury and loss of life of animals. It can't go on. We need you to help us change this by speaking to your MP. With them on our side, we can petition for a change in fireworks laws, to become more considerate of animals, the environment, and vulnerable people. Here’s what we’re asking the Government to change:
- 1 Reduce the noise level of all traditional fireworks from 120dB to 90dB.
- 2 Limit sale of consumer fireworks to Category F1 and F2, and only to specialised/licensed shops.
- 3 Designate ‘firework free zones’ in areas where fireworks are likely to have a greater impact on animals, the environment and vulnerable peoples.
- 4 When firework free zones are in place, local councils should organise their own alternative displays.
- 5 Given the economic potential of alternatives, and given the benefits to wildlife and the environment, the Government should review regulations surrounding alternatives to fireworks, such as drone displays.
But it’s not all down to them – there are other ways YOU can help:
- Complete our impact report survey Share your story, your worries, your experiences – help us demonstrate the impact that fireworks have had on you and your pets.
- Film your experience: Whether it’s your pet’s reaction, your own story, or your community’s concerns. Personal stories have the power to make a real difference. Help us demonstrate why the law needs to change.
- Think about how fireworks affect animals: If you’re planning to use fireworks this year, before you light the fuse, pause and consider who will be affected. It's not just animals, it's owners and the vulnerable in our communities.
- Be a Kind Spark: Make just one change this firework season (swapping to low noise alternatives, pledging to only attend public events or helping to pick up litter afterwards, for example) that will make a world of difference to animalkind.
Most animals have a greater hearing range and higher sensitivity to noise than humans. From our pets to nearby farmed animals and local wildlife – the bang of a firework can make us jump, but it can quite literally scare animals to death.
66% of respondents to our 2024 impact reporting survey told us that backyard firework displays are a major concern
How fireworks affect animals
Meet two animals severely frightened by fireworks
Staffy escapes after fireworks fright
Luna, a 7-year-old Staffy Cross, scaled a fence and escaped her owner’s garden after being startled by fireworks, and was later hit and killed by a train in her attempt to flee.
Fireworks set back horse recovery
Foxy, a horse at a therapeutic riding centre, suffered severe stress and damage to her hind leg after a private firework display caused her to repeatedly kick the walls in fear.
