The V&A Waterfront has reneged on their promise in 2020 to “heed the call to do away with fireworks altogether and are committed to marking the start of the New Year’s celebration in a safe (given the Covid concerns), and environmentally friendly manner. We’ve heard the call and have understood the need for responsible change.”

The Waterfront had a fireworks event for NYE, and we call on them to fulfil their promise of responsible change.

The Waterfront reasoning that

a)       It’s only 5 minutes

b)      They will advise all pet people to keep their animals indoors

c)       Their previous efforts at a show were failures (the beam of light)

d)      All other major cities do it

e)      And that people should be allowed to have fun, is unacceptable

This ignores

•            The Waterfront has had eleven months to look at exciting, more environmentally and fauna friendly options.

•            To this end, in earlier discussions, Beauty Without Cruelty had sent several links to modern, exciting options, including synchronised lit drones and skydivers, both of which make a spectacular night display.

•            The damage is done in the first minute - Whether it is five or fifteen minutes, the trauma, injury and deaths will occur. There is ample information to suggest that fireworks cause inevitable wild and domestic animal trauma, injury and death. The Waterfront has ignored the fate of the stray, feral, and ‘outside’ domestic animals, as well as bird- and wildlife.

•            Fireworks are most certainly not environmentally responsible, as the entire process from manufacturing (including mining for raw materials) to transport, air, noise and water pollution, plus the consequent litter, is a complete pollution cycle. Fireworks sound carries, especially over water, and a breeze will carry the particulate matter and gasses downwind. Anyone who considers themselves even slightly environmentally conscious cannot accept the use of fireworks.

·       ‘People’ wanting what they want at any cost is the reason the planet is losing species to extinction, has severe pollution problems, is losing essential forests and green areas etc

  Furthermore,

1.           Nesting birds can be so disoriented as to not find their nests and nestlings.

2.           Animals have extremely sensitive hearing and unlike thunder, which they can feel approaching, fireworks can cause terror and resulting injury and death in their efforts to escape.

4.           The onus is not on the ‘owners’ to ensure their animals safety.   

5.           The pollution and poisons in the fireworks can be swept downwind causing further problems in other areas.

6.           Animals and birds ingest fireworks fallout and are poisoned.

7.           Sound travels at night and fireworks discharged in one area can cause problems kilometres away, directly in contrast with the animal protection laws / fireworks laws as they pertain to animals.

8.           There are many humans suffering PTSD, who suffer through fireworks.

 2. OFFENCES IN RESPECT OF ANIMALS - (1) Any person who:  

 (a )overloads, overdrives, overrides, ill-treats, neglects, infuriates, tortures or maims or cruelly beats, kicks, goads or terrifies any animal; 

Whether one likes animals or not, knowingly causing suffering, injuries and death which occur as a direct result of fireworks, is unacceptable, contravenes the APA as above and therefore there is no area where fireworks should be used.

Bylaw

15: No person shall (b) in a public place do anything which may endanger the life or safety of any person or animal, including—

(ii) without the prior written permission of the City or otherwise than in accordance with any conditions determined by the City when granting such written permission or in contravention of any other applicable by-law, to use explosives or discharge fireworks;

(iii) except for a lawful purpose to discharge any firearm or air, gas or alarm gun or pistol unless—

(cc) the firearm or air, gas or alarm gun or pistol, or fireworks in question is discharged for a purpose and at a time and place approved in writing by the City.

But these exemptions regarding fireworks are in direct conflict with the national animal protection laws, which clearly state no person shall terrify an animal.  

For these reasons, there are no acceptable reasons for percussive fireworks. 

V&A WATERFRONT we request the honouring of the statement made in 2020, to more environmentally celebration options, including synchronised lit drones or skydivers. Be the first to celebrate fireworks free New Year celebrations, for the benefit of the environment and the fauna, with instead, modern enthralling options.