Fireworks, Fear & Facts: What the Statistics Really Say about Animals, People & Fireworks

muttsandmischief
Nov 14
7 min read

Real Examples, Real Fear, Real Support — Helping Your Dog Through Fireworks

Every autumn in the UK, the air fills with more than just bonfires and sparklers — it also brings fear, flight, and, too often, tragedy. Our pets, livestock, wildlife, and even people can all suffer when fireworks light up the sky.

As a canine behaviourist specialising in sound sensitivities, I see the fallout every year: the trembling dog pressed against a wall, the horse that bolts through fencing, the calf that panics in a field, the zoo animal pacing endlessly in distress. For many, it’s not a celebration — it’s survival.

Those living in coastal areas often face this long before autumn. Summer “end-of-season” displays can startle animals for weeks, long after the tourists have gone home. The suffering isn’t limited to dogs — it’s multispecies, and it’s widespread.

What’s even more disheartening is seeing so-called “professionals” dismiss guardians with comments like “train your dog.”True professionals understand that fireworks affect all species, including humans — and that fear cannot simply be trained away. Firework fear is not a behaviour problem; it’s a physiological and emotional response rooted in survival.

This article explores the real data — and the real gaps — so we can move past misinformation and blame. Most importantly, it offers guidance for guardians to understand that you have done nothing wrong — and how you can help your animals feel safe when the skies explode.

The Data: What We Do Know

Companion Animals

A survey by PDSA (2024) found that around 40% of dogs, 34% of cats, and 18% of rabbits are reported to be afraid of fireworks.
The Kennel Club (2024) reported an 81% increase in missing dogs during the 2023 fireworks season, with 30% of owners stating their dog is terrified of fireworks, and 52% saying fireworks make their dog anxious.
The RSPCA (2023) receives “around 400 calls a year” relating to fireworks in England and Wales — many involving severe fear, injury, or fatalities.

Horses & Livestock

From November 2010 to September 2023, the British Horse Society and partners recorded 1,317 firework-related incidents involving horses. Of these, 45 were fatalities, 292 horses were injured, and 78 people were hurt in related incidents (Redwings Horse Sanctuary, 2025).

These numbers only reflect reported cases; many more likely go undocumented.

Humans

The UK Home Office (2024) recorded victims of fires involving fireworks between 2010 and 2023 in England.
A burns-unit review (2004–2014) found 93 patients with firework-related burns or trauma — nearly half of them children (Nizamoglu et al., 2018).
The Children’s Burns Trust (2024) estimates that over 550 children under 16 attend A&E in the four weeks surrounding Bonfire Night.

Firework Fear: Not a Training Failure

Can every guardian, parent, or professional who struggles through the fireworks season really be at fault? Of course not.Firework fear is not a reflection of poor handling or a lack of training — it is a natural, involuntary survival response to a perceived threat.

Many guardians follow the best possible practices: they use year-round desensitisation, seek veterinary guidance, and provide calming aids such as Pet Remedy, Adaptil, or Skullcap and Valerian. Despite this, their animals can still experience profound fear — because fireworks tap into instinct, not obedience.

To suggest that guardians simply “need to train their pets” disregards both behavioural science and compassion. When animals panic, flee, or even die due to fireworks, it is not a failure of training — it is a failure of environment and regulation.

As professionals, we must emphasise that fear cannot be reinforced through empathy or comfort — only reduced through safety, predictability, and trust.

Key takeaway: The data confirm that fireworks cause fear, injury, and death across multiple species, yet reporting remains fragmented and incomplete. Recognising these gaps is essential if we are to advocate effectively for evidence-based reform.

What We Don’t Know

There is no UK-wide official record of pet deaths linked directly to fireworks (panic-related injury, heart failure, escape, or trauma).
Livestock incidents are often only recorded through voluntary reports or press coverage — there is no statutory database.
Zoos and wildlife parks note anecdotal cases, but there’s no unified UK dataset on firework-linked animal deaths.
For humans, data suggest an average of 0.6 deaths per year across categories (Wilkins, 2024), though misclassification likely underrepresents the true number.

Documented UK Incidents: Real Cases from 2024–2025

The following verified case studies highlight recent UK incidents where fireworks caused injury, distress, or death across species and communities.

Why This Matters (From a Behaviourist’s Lens)

Fear and panic in animals caused by sudden loud noises aren’t fleeting moments of “distress” — they can lead to genuine trauma. Startled animals may bolt, collide with obstacles, suffer cardiac events, or harm themselves in panic. The emotional aftermath can last long after the noise ends, often developing into chronic issues like noise phobia, hypervigilance, or separation anxiety.

When we factor in trigger stacking, the picture becomes clearer. A single firework scare in August can be the first layer in a chain of stressors — darker nights, changing routines, trick-or-treaters, knocks at the door, and disrupted sleep — that leave animals emotionally exhausted before Bonfire Night even begins. By November, many dogs and other species are running on empty, making each bang feel louder and harder to cope with.

Firework fear cannot be prevented through obedience training — because this isn’t disobedience. It’s neurology, physiology, and survival instinct. Our role is not to “correct” fear, but to provide comfort, predictability, and protection.

What You Can Do

For Guardians

Create a Fireworks Readiness Plan tailored to your individual pet. Choose a safe, quiet room, begin gentle noise-desensitisation early, and ensure microchips and ID tags are current. On the night, close curtains, dim lights, and use familiar household sounds like a TV or washing machine to soften external noise.

Stay close. Quiet companionship, gentle touch, and calm energy are grounding. If working remotely, set up your pet’s safe space near you and reward moments of calm.

Missing dogs increase by around 80% during fireworks season (The Kennel Club, 2024). Keep routines predictable, and remember — fear is not naughtiness.

For Professionals & Advocates

Use and share data — for example, 1,317 horse incidents (2010–2023), including 45 fatalities (Redwings Horse Sanctuary, 2025).
Encourage guardians to record “near misses” to strengthen data for welfare campaigns.
Speak up — in council consultations, local groups, and national petitions. Firework fear is not a training gap; it’s a welfare issue.

Policy & Advocacy

Support legislation restricting private use of loud fireworks, limiting times, and prioritising licensed displays.
Push for mandatory data collection by vets, farms, and rescues on firework-linked incidents.
Promote alternative celebrations such as silent fireworks or laser light shows.

Conclusion

Fireworks may symbolise joy, but for thousands of animals — and hundreds of people — they represent fear, injury, and even death. The data show the scale is significant, even if the full picture remains incomplete.

As behaviourists and guardians, we are uniquely placed to translate fear into evidence, and compassion into advocacy. Firework fear is not a reflection of poor training — it’s a reflection of how far we still have to go in recognising animal welfare.

This year, let’s focus on facts, compassion, and collaboration — so celebration no longer comes at the cost of suffering.

Call to Action

➡️ Share this article to raise awareness.

➡️ If you’ve experienced a firework-related incident, please document and report it.

➡️ Tune in to my podcast, The Feral Behaviourist, for our next episode: Building Resilience in Dogs and Other Animals Exposed to Loud Noise.

➡️ Subscribe for upcoming downloadable guides, checklists, and advocacy templates to help you and your clients prepare for next season.

References

Ask Animal Web (2024) ‘Fireworks and the Animal Welfare Act: New Report and Infographic’, Ask Animal Web, 29 October. Available at: https://askanimalweb.com/fireworks-and-the-animal-welfare-act-new-report-and-infographic

British Veterinary Association (BVA) (2025) ‘Have a pet with fireworks phobia? Prepare now to prevent injury and distress, urge vets’, BVA News and Blog, 1 November. Available at: https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/news-article/have-a-pet-with-fireworks-phobia-prepare-now-to-prevent-injury-and-distress-urge-vets

Children’s Burns Trust (2024) ‘Fireworks’, Children’s Burns Trust – Get Informed Campaigns. Available at: https://cbtrust.org.uk/get-informed/campaigns/fireworks

Evening Standard / PA Media (2025) ‘Fireworks chaos as officers attacked and multiple arrests made across UK’, Evening Standard, 6 November. Available at: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/lfb-police-west-midlands-police-birmingham-scottish-fire-and-rescue-service-b1256885.html

Home Office (2024) Victims from fires with fireworks, by injury severity and type, 2010 to 2023. London: UK Government. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/victims-from-fires-with-fireworks-by-injury-severity-and-type-2010-to-2023

ITV News (2025) ‘Four-year-old left critically ill after anti-social use of fireworks’, ITV News Granada, 9 November. Available at: https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2025-11-09/four-year-old-left-critically-ill-after-anti-social-use-of-fireworks

Nizamoglu, M., Frew, Q., Tan, A., Band, H., Band, B., Barnes, D., El-Muttardi, N. & Dziewulski, P. (2018) ‘The ten-year experience of firework injuries treated at a UK regional burns & plastic surgery unit’, Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters, 31(1), pp. 13-16. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6116645/

PDSA (2024) PAW Report: Pet Anxiety & Noise. London: PDSA. Available at: https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/other-veterinary-advice/dogs-and-fireworks

Redwings Horse Sanctuary (2024) Animal Welfare and Fireworks Overview Report. Norfolk: Redwings Publications. Available at: https://www.redwings.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-01/Animal%20welfare%20and%20fireworks%20overview.pdf

Redwings Horse Sanctuary (2025) ‘Animal charity which “had to put down three horses spooked by bangs” calls for quieter fireworks’, ITV News Anglia, 5 November. Available at: https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2025-11-05/animal-charity-says-it-had-to-put-down-three-horses-distressed-by-fireworks

RSPCA (2023) Fireworks and Animal Welfare – Evidence Submission. London: RSPCA. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5f92de15d3bf7f35f06ae3b4/fireworks-evidence-submission-rspca.pdf

The Guardian (2024) ‘Fireworks blamed for baby red panda death at Edinburgh Zoo’, The Guardian, 14 November. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/nov/14/fireworks-blamed-baby-red-panda-death-edinburgh-zoo-scotland-bonfire-night (Accessed: 10 November 2025).

The Kennel Club (2024) ‘One in three dogs “terrified” of fireworks, say experts’, The Kennel Club Media Centre, 5 November. Available at: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media-centre/2024/november/fireworks-season-sees-81-increase-in-dogs-going-missing

West Midlands Police (2025) ‘Update: 19 charged after Birmingham fireworks disorder’, West Midlands Police Newsroom, 6 November. Available at: https://www.westmidlands.police.uk/news/west-midlands/news/news/2025/november/update-19-charged-after-birmingham-fireworks-disorder

Wilkins, S. (2024) ‘Written evidence submitted by Mrs. Susan Wilkins (FWS0240) — Evidence on Fireworks’, House of Commons Science and Technology Committee. Available at: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/101196/html