All venues that hold firework displays to be licenced

FIREWORKS SCARE ANIMALS TO DEATH The Shetland Pony Welfare Trust is a small Registered Charity and has for a number of years been suffering from the effects of Fireworks being set off only a few yards from its sanctuary, of rescued horses and ponies. Thousands of pet owners have similar issues

All animals can be effected by fireworks and in some cases these can be devastating for owners and there pets We call upon the Secretary of state to secure that the risk of public use of fireworks is minimal and that only licenced venues can hold displays. A regulatory distance to be put in place for proximity of animals/buildings to the event

The Shetland Pony Welfare Trust. Registered Charity 1093364 www.theshetlandponywelfaretrust.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/groups/301565983934509/

There is a comprehensive regulatory framework in place for fireworks that aims to reduce the disturbance to animals and risks to people. Existing legislation controls the sale, availability and use of fireworks, as well as setting a curfew and noise limit.

The Government believes that the majority of people who use fireworks do so sensibly and take a responsible approach to their use. The Government is aware that there are strongly held views by some individuals and groups, and has been listening to the concerns that have been raised about the impact fireworks have on animals and communities.

The Petitions Committee report of 5 November 2019 agreed with the Government’s position that it is not appropriate to ban the public from buying and using fireworks, as it would not be a proportionate measure at present. The Petitions Committee recommended that other action was more appropriate in the first instance.

For that reason, the Government has made a commitment to: • Develop a public awareness campaign on the safe use of fireworks; • Publish the fact-based evidence base that the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has been developing; • Engage with animal charities to further discuss their work related to animal welfare issues; • Engage with Local Authorities to understand the issues they face with regard to fireworks; • Engage with the fireworks industry to discuss any additional action they might take to address the concerns raised around fireworks packaging appealing to underage individuals.

The Petitions Committee recommended that the Government work with Local Authorities to identify a best practice approach to a mandatory permit system for fireworks displays. The Government has made a commitment in its response to engage with Local Authorities on this issue, in order to understand their first-hand experiences and seek their views on whether this would be an appropriate and beneficial measure.