Rescue centre dogs ‘cowered in corners and vomited’ during firework display on the weekend

The owner of a dog rescue centre has spoken of the ‘chaos’ and ‘distress’ a firework display at a nearby airport caused among her animals.

Dogs at Dogs4Rescue in Worsley, Salford, were highly distressed due to the noise coming from the firework display at City Airport in Barton on Saturday evening, with one animal even having a fit.

The rescue centre’s founder and owner Emma Billington said that a number of dogs were ‘cowering in corners’ and ‘vomiting’ as a result of the noise. She told the Manchester Evening News: “I couldn’t believe the noise. All of a sudden, the bangs just started.

@Dogs4Rescue / Facebook

“It was like a war zone. The dogs were all over the place. It was pitch black and some had jumped six foot fences trying to get out. Others were cowering in corners and being sick. One was having a fit.

“It caused absolute chaos. We had to run around after them, but we couldn’t find some of the dogs. We were not expecting it.”

Emma, who prides herself on providing a cage and kennel-free environment for her dogs, added that a number of the animals she cares for have existing health complications, with some suffering from paralysis after being shot, some living with epilepsy and others who are blind.

@Dogs4Rescue / Facebook

She said: “We take the most abused and difficult dogs and try so hard to make them feel safe and loved. This is meant to be a safe place for them. It’s heartbreaking because this had set them all back.

“It was just unbelievable that they [the organisers] could have had such disregard.”

City Airport has since responded to the distress its firework display caused and  apologised for ‘any disturbance caused’, with a spokesperson saying: “As in previous years the organiser made contact with the Dogs Rescue Organisation well in advance of the event and previous measures introduced to minimise the distance noise travels such as locating the display towards the eastern side of the site and limiting the maximum heights of the designed fireworks were in place this evening.

Dogs4Rescue / Facebook

“All feedback will however be passed to the organiser for their continued review and careful consideration for future similar events.”

This comes after a group of senior vets from Vets Now called for a complete ban on the public sale of fireworks amid concerns for the welfare of animals and pets, saying their network of clinics and hospitals report a spike in pets who have been involved in accidents after being spooked by fireworks at this time of year.

Dave Leicester, the man responsible for the Video Vets Now service, said: “Fireworks can be hugely distressing for pets, birds and wildlife particularly when they’re let off unexpectedly… Although still distressing, pet owners can at least plan for well-publicised public events, or even take their pets elsewhere when they know they’re happening, but that’s not the case for indiscriminate private displays.”