The head of two Perth and Kinross pet welfare groups has called new restrictions around the sale and use of fireworks in Scotland as “a big step in the right direction”.
The fresh legislation, passed by MSPs at the end of June, will create a licensing scheme and limit the number of days when they can be sold.
Community safety minister Ash Regan insisted changes in the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Bill would play a “key part in reducing the harm, the distress and the injury” that can be caused.
The Bill will only allow fireworks to be bought and used by members of the public at certain times of the year, including Guy Fawkes Day, Hogmanay, Chinese New Year and Diwali.
It creates a new licensing system which will mean members of the public will need a licence to buy and use fireworks, while businesses will have to check if those buying pyrotechnics have a licence.
It will also become an offence to give fireworks to a child or buy them on behalf of a child.
Councils will be able to establish firework control zones where it will be an offence for fireworks to be used - by either the public or professionals - other than in a firework display or essential purposes.
Katie McCandless-Thomas runs Missing Pets Perth and Kinross, an online service which tries to find animals gone missing, as well as Dog Friendly Perthshire.
She said: “For any animal that is scared by fireworks, this is a big step in the right direction for safety and wellbeing.
“It’s not just cats and dogs which are affected by fireworks but also livestock and wildlife. The noise and even mess they leave behind has a huge impact on an animal’s welfare.
“A lot of people think of fireworks as just a few times a year, especially around Guy Fawkes Night, but fireworks can last the whole month of November.
“That’s a whole month of quite a lot of animals petrified by the sound of fireworks.
“The noise can leave animals uncontrollably shaking, pacing and drooling.
“There were cases last year where animals were scared to death by the noise and their heart couldn’t take it anymore.
“Even when owners take precautions of setting up a safe den for their animals, walking their dogs while still light and even getting medication from their own vet to help try and calm them, a lot of the time owners can still end up with a traumatised pet for weeks or months even when fireworks have stopped.
“We hope these tighter restrictions stop people who are highly irresponsible with them using them so recklessly and we would also urge organisations when they do hold larger displays to look at silent fireworks which do have a reduction in noise.”
