Extreme NYE fireworks: who’s at fault?
Firecracker war claimed many victims this New Year's Eve. Whose fault was it?
This New Year’s Eve was celebrated with glittering fireworks, small crackers and even bomb crackers that left most of the town’s dogs in shock or completely out of their mind. Local community policing forum (CPF) members, animal shelters and residents had to endure the long night of loud explosives set free in the night sky.
“There were so many calls for lost dogs on 1 and 2 January,” Friends of Rescued Animals (Fora) manager, Linda Scrace, told the News.
Linda said that Fora’s kennels were already full by the time the new year arrived.
“We also had a call for an emergency vet to assist a dog that jumped through a glass window.”
Another local animal shelter, The 9th Day Animal Shelter, was right in the middle of it all. The shelter’s founder and owner, Charmaine Booysens, said one of the dogs were found in her bloodied cage after she tried to get away from the close-by bomb crackers that were set off.
“She is alright now, but even after we gave her calming medicine and has someone there to look after the dogs, she still managed to seriously injure herself while trying to get away,” she said.
According to Linda and CPF members there were times allocated to fire firecrackers, but no one was sure what these times were exactly.
Linda said the fireworks were worse this year and according to residents in Krugersdorp West there was a tremendous increase in bomb crackers being set free.
“Dogs senses are more magnified than human senses. They also don’t understand the loud continuing noises the crackers make,” Linda explained.
This is why the dogs, and cats, try to escape.
The police allegedly told CPF members that residents who were firing fireworks were allowed to do so and that they could not be stopped.
The News contacted Krugersdorp police spokesperson, Sergeant Tshepiso Mashale, who said that regulations around setting off fireworks are set out by respective municipalities.
“We did not receive any information regarding fireworks from the local municipality,” she said, “we were only instructed from the national police services to apprehend those selling fireworks without a license.”
Mogale City Local Municipality’s spokesperson, Nkosana Zali, was contacted for urgent comment.
Tell us your thoughts on this past New Year’s Eve’s fireworks. Was it worse than last year? Comment below or tweet us @krugersdorpnews.
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