It’s 11:59 PM on New Year’s Eve. You’re counting down.

Every bird, deer, rabbit, fox — and countless pets — within earshot is panicking.

What fireworks do to wildlife AND pets:

• Auditory trauma (animals hear far better than humans)

• Panic & flight responses (animals bolt, collide, get lost, or injured)

• Nest abandonment (wild babies freeze in winter cold)

• Heart attacks in small mammals from fear

• Disorientation of nocturnal animals

What fireworks do to dogs & cats:

• Severe anxiety and panic attacks

• Trembling, hiding, pacing, drooling

• Escape attempts (lost pets spike on July 4 & New Year’s)

• Injuries from fences, doors, windows, traffic

• Stress-related illness and behavioral regression

The facts:

• 1,000+ birds died in one Arkansas town on New Year’s Day 2011

• Wildlife rescue calls spike over 500% on January 1

• Animal shelters report major increases in lost pets after fireworks.

You’re celebrating. They’re suffering.

Better alternatives:

✓ Laser light shows

✓ Glow sticks or luminaries

✓ Projection mapping

✓ Noise-reduced fireworks

✓ Celebrate earlier in the evening