www.iva.co.uk

I have been sat at home tonight listening to fireworks going off.

When I was a kid, fireworks were just on Bonfire Night, no other time. They were also quite tame.

Why do we have to have fireworks tonight, most of next week and the weekend and probably the week after, and also at New Year.

My dogs absolutely hate them - we have to put the TV on really loud to try and drown them out. They refuse to go out to the back garden to go to the loo and they become gibbering wrecks. I presume wildlife must feel the same.

I wish people would think about the effect they have on animals before letting these noisy monsters off.

It's about time they were banned, other than organised displays, as they are in Ireland.

I totally agree Jan. It's been like Beirut around here and it seems to be getting worse, and the worst part is it's only the beginning.

We took the batteries out of the doorbell so we wouldn't have the local brats trick or treating, but there's nothing we can do about the fireworks.

We used to have them on 5th November when I was a kid and that was it. They should only be used at organised displays on 5th November, nothing else.

Why should everyone, animals and humans, have to suffer so these selfish individuals can literally burn money?

Too true!

I do sympathise for the doggies, mine don't bother but I know some of my friends have dogs who do and they're petrified to the point of soiling in the house, it must be awful for the poor doggies. x

The fireworks continued after we had gone to bed last night and poor Suzie just lay on the bed trembling - I thought we had gained a vibrating mattress it was that bad!

The weather here is awful today - wet and windy and I really hope that continues during the evening for the next week or so!

different aspect but when we had good weather in summer I knew across the road would start the bass music, I prayed for bad weather at the weekends!

I'm sorry to read this Jan and hope Suzie has calmed down now. x

She's fine now thanks Lesley - until tonight if it stops raining!

I can sympathise with the noisy neighbours as well. Nothing worse than music blasting out. We have a problem with someone in the next road and their dog. They spend a fair amount of time holidaying in Dubai (lucky them!) and the daughter looks after their menagerie. They have a labrador and he, apparantly, sticks his head through the cat flap and just barks and barks and barks. We thought he was outside. He will bark for hours at night in the summer and it drives us mad!

I would report them Jan, I did re the music and although it didn't solve it completely it did help a little.

Well at quarter to 2 this morning the inconsiderate idiots were still letting off fireworks and shouting about - I could even hear young children.

Poor Harry came and slept with us, so Dave and I were huddled over my side of the bed while Harry made himself comfortable.

Long may the torrential rain and gale force winds continue!

We tried it when we had other neighbours (now thankfully left) whose dog barked continuously when it was out in the garden. Many a sunny Sunday afternoon sat relaxing in the garden was spoiled by the dog. We phoned environmental health and were initially told to speak to the neighbours, and if that failed then make a diary of times and duration of the barking over a period of a couple of weeks and they would see if assist.

There was no point talking to them as they hated everyone in the road. Hubby used to go outside and rave up the road to them and the dog was always taken in. The excuse for the barking was that the birds wound the dog up!

How does the law in Ireland work, exactly?

In Ireland it is an offence to possess or let off a firework and firework displays must be done by a professional.

It's a shame we don't do that here to stop the mindless idiots letting them off continually between now and New Year, scaring domestic animals and wildlife and annoying the neighbours.

That's exactly right Skippy.

A colleague of mine usually visits relatives in Ireland this time of year with their dog as he is petrified of them - and he's a big rufty tufty Staffie!

Apparently if you let off fireworks in Ireland you can get a fine of up to €2500 or a prison sentence of up to 5 years.

Excellent - and it should happen here as well! There is a petition on the No.10 website to do the same here, and I am signed up to it!