I'm starting this petition to get personal fireworks displays/use banned from major city limits in Arizona. I have several dogs that are constantly being scared from excessive personal fireworks displays/uses through out the year, and as I work nights most of the time I am not home to let my dogs inside to keep them from getting lose or hurt during these personal fireworks displays.

Most of these displays/uses take place well outside of the dates set forth by Arizona’s Fireworks Law – House Bill 2246, as well as the legality of the fireworks used in these displays.

5. “PERMISSIBLE CONSUMER FIREWORKS”:

(a) MEANS THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF CONSUMER FIREWORKS AS DEFINED BY THE AMERICAN PYROTECHNICS ASSOCIATION STANDARD 87-1, STANDARD FOR CONSTRUCTION AND APPROVAL FOR TRANSPORTATION OF FIREWORKS, NOVELTIES AND THEATRICAL PYROTECHNICS, DECEMBER 1, 2001 VERSION:

(i) GROUND AND HAND-HELD SPARKLING DEVICES.
(ii) CYLINDRICAL FOUNTAINS.
(iii) CONE FOUNTAINS.
(iv) ILLUMINATING TORCHES.
(v) WHEELS.
(vi) GROUND SPINNERS.
(vii) FLITTER SPARKLERS.
(viii) TOY SMOKE DEVICES.
(ix) WIRE SPARKLERS OR DIPPED STICKS.
(x) MULTIPLE TUBE FIREWORKS DEVICES AND PYROTECHNIC ARTICLES.

(b) DOES NOT INCLUDE ANYTHING THAT IS DESIGNED OR INTENDED TO RISE INTO THE AIR AND EXPLODE OR TO DETONATE IN THE AIR OR TO FLY ABOVE THE GROUND, INCLUDING, FOR EXAMPLE, FIREWORK ITEMS COMMONLY KNOWN AS BOTTLE ROCKETS, SKY ROCKETS, MISSILE-TYPE ROCKETS, HELICOPTERS, TORPEDOES, ROMAN CANDLES AND JUMPING JACKS.

I believe that banning personal fireworks displays/use in major city limits would save a lot of other pet and animal owners a lot of stress, from having to worry about whether or not there pets will be safe if they're not home if someone in there neighborhood decides to have a personal fireworks display while they are not home, and will also save money, time and effort of local police and fire personnel that have to respond to all of the phone calls related to personal fireworks displays.

I am also worried that one of those excessive personal fireworks displays will result in an out of control display and set my house or one of my trees on fire in my yard and have seen other trees in my neighborhood set on fire during some of these displays, cause the end users are either careless, intoxicated or inexperienced on how to handle the type of fireworks they are using or they just throw the fireworks out of the window of a car while driving down the streets in some neighborhoods.

Animal Welfare: Animals are terrified of fireworks. On the Fourth of July alone, more than 1,000 animals are turned in to the Maricopa shelters. This doesn't count those killed while running loose or injured while trying to escape. Animal abuse is a felony crime; fireworks pose animal abuse.

Clean Air: We can't burn wood fires because they contribute to air quality problems that may cause federal fines. Fireworks create air quality impact that are just as dangerous.

Respect for Veterans: For those suffering PTSD, veterans and others, this is just disrespectful.

Neighborhood Quality: Those with jobs, infants, and elderly need their sleep. Allowing fireworks at night downgrades the quality of our neighborhoods.