I knew it was coming, yet I helplessly needed to wait it out.

As the clock struck 12 on Saturday Night, the Lunar New Year fireworks began. Unlike the 31st of December, all of the fireworks heard, felt and smelt in my suburb were officially sanctioned. These were not illegal fireworks users.
I honestly felt like I was in a war-zone; the smell of gunpowder thick in the air, the constant boom and crackle of explosives at some distant celebration that I could not see, the haunting and horrified sound of birds flying in the night sky, displaced, disorientated and frightened. If I felt scared, if I felt anxious, I could only imagine what our returned veterans felt, what people with PTSD and sensory conditions felt. What our beloved companion animals and wildlife felt.

A beautiful ginger tabby cat made it's way into our backyard, frightened and away from home. I did not see it there. When I let my rescue dog Samhain (who had been abused and neglected prior to her rescue) out for her bedtime toilet trip, she was attacked by this very frightened cat. She yelped in fear and cowed in a way I had not seen since she was welcomed into my home. I do not blame the cat; the poor thing was in shock and found themselves in an unfamiliar location. I blame the fireworks that ran for 10 minutes...a short break and then another round (likely this time to be illegal fireworks) for a further 20 minutes or so.

This needs to stop. The perfectly legal and Brimbank sanctioned fireworks were far worse than the illegal ones last night. We need to stop permitted fireworks first. This will send a clear message to illegal users as to why fireworks are harmful (and not just to users).
Many illegal fireworks users are unaware of the harm that befalls many people and animals with their use. If Brimbank stops permitting fireworks and uses the opportunity to inform the community as to why they should not be used, we will see a fall in illegal fireworks. No, we will not stop them all - but if less people use them, then illegal users will also be easier to locate and penalise to the full extent of the law.

This petition is off to a good start, but we need to keep pushing. Share, Share, Share!

Thank you for your continued support and Happy Lunar New Year!