Terrified dog dies while trying to get away from fireworks

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Dog dies after running from fireworks
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A dog, terrified by the booming of fireworks, died after being impaled on a fence, while attempting to flee from the overwhelming sounds. A heartbreaking image of the deceased dog was posted to Facebook by the Barberton SPCA (in South Africa), along with harsh words for the people who set off fireworks:

THIS is why fireworks need to be banned!!! Everyone who fired fireworks last night, this dog died because of you.

The sad image has been shared over 22,000 times and more than 1,000 people have left comments on the post. Though many people wanted to point the finger of blame to the dog’s owner, the SPCA offered words of defense, stating, “The dog was closed away, in a separate area last night, and broke out if that too, the owner is a police officer who had to work last night!!!”

Some people noted that the fencing is quite narrow – likely adequate to keep a dog contained if not for the terror caused from the firework explosions.

Another dog, in Melbourne, Victoria Australia, also died after running from illegal fireworks and being impaled on fencing – the dog, a seven-year-old Labradoodle, had been inside, but broke out and ran when the fireworks were being set off.

(Photo via Barberton SPCA FB page)


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100 COMMENTS

    • ” “The dog was closed away, in a separate area last night, and broke out if that too, the owner is a police officer who had to work last night!!!”

      Some people noted that the fencing is quite narrow – likely adequate to keep a dog contained if not for the terror caused from the firework explosions.

      What part of that is too hard for you to understand? The dog’s owner is also a cop who had to work. Is that hard to get, too?

      • Being it stated the dog was closed away in a separate area and didn’t state indoors. It could have meant it was outside in a closed away area…No reason to get an attitude with the girl

      • The dog should have been in a cage or removed from the area altogether. I get that the owner made an attempt to take care of his dog but he failed bottom line, to protect the dog.

      • “The dog’s owner is also a cop who had to work. Is that hard to get, too?”

        So again why was the dog OUTSIDE. Did it bust through a window? Knock the door down? If the answer is no on both accounts then the owner failed to protect his own pet. THAT IS WHO YOU BLAME because THUNDERSTORMS have the same effect on a pet. Do you blame GOD when a dog gets killed scared of thunder?

        No?

        Then stop blaming people for doing something in celebration.

      • Why would the owner (police officer or not) have a fence with spikes in it? I have dogs and kids and I would never put a fence like this in my yard. Ruin a celebration of our countrys independance because 1 person had a killer fence.
        I am a dog lover, dont get me wrong, i feel terrible for this poor dog. But if the owner was not there, how does anyone know it was due to fireworks?

      • WHO CARES if the owner was a cop and had to work. What does that have to do with the fact that this idiot did not properly take care of the dog and now this poor baby died at the hands of yet another human jerk!!.. I can’t imagine how terrified that sweet dog must have been and how terribly he died. A police officer no less – should know better. We need to STOP blaming everything else except those responsible.

    • The dogs were in the house. They were so scared they broke out. One broke threw the doggie door to the yard, the other from the porch (I believe) to the yard. Both were safely in the house until fear over took them. All my dogs & parrots were in the house, when fireworks started I turned the TV’s up very loud in each room as well as the stereo in attempt to drown out the noise. All my animals were shaking with fear with each boom. We do our best to protect them from the noise but their hearing is so magnificent they still hear the noise. Your blaming the humans without completely reading the posting and your out of line doing that. The law officials should have had more patrols to arrest and ticket those doing it. In my area guns were being fired as well, someone could have died by a stray bullet. Even firing up into the air isn’t safe… what goes up must come down. Put yourself in these families shoes, they’ve lost loved family members through no fault of their own. Ignorance of the neighbors caused these innocent animals deaths, they were petrified and trying to get to safety. Their only thought was to run. Jeanie Nofi you owe these families a huge apologie!!!

      • They broke through the doggie door? A doggies door is made so they can enter and exit as they please. Wow!

      • Ecarius – Doggy Doors have covers that slide in place to close them, there are ways to secure them closed for night time or or when you go on vacation. So yeah, wow. You’ve obviously given this plenty of thought.

      • My thoughts exactly, our doggie door closes, we don’t let them run in and out if we aren’t home and I’m sure neither did they.

      • I also have my Sunni who is beyond terrorized from anything loud. She freaks out, shakes, pants heavy, scratches at everything trying to hide, and is nearly tripping us getting between our legs, because she is that scared. Scares the hell out of me at times cuz she gets so damn scared. If we didn’t medicate her, have a thunder coat on her with lavender oil on a patch, it would be very bad with her. One of us has to be with her at these times or our house would be a disaster from her trying to hide or she’d have a heart attack from the fear. All of these she freaks on; rain, thunder, planes, fireworks, the wind, guns, and she has been like this since she was a wee pup and she’ll be 8 this year. She is the 2nd dog I have had with this fear, it is so hard on these babies. They light shit off around here every year and every year my girl is terrorized because of it. Pisses me off especially when it is neighbors that know of us people here with fur-babies that fear the fireworks noise and they still light them off. So sorry this poor fur baby died because of someone entertaining themselves with fireworks. It is a shame and a senseless loss, rip poor fur baby……..

      • My dogs through the years have shown initial concern with fireworks but never blind panic. After a few minutes they just sat and listened with curiosity. They kept checking me for a reaction but saw me as calm and fearless. The definitely copied my reaction. Dogs who are fearful to the point of losing their total control should be be confined indoors in a dog crate for their own protection. People are allowed to set off fire works as long as the law allows it. As far as the fence goes, I would never allow my dogs near it,an accident waiting to happen. I am so sorry for the horrible way this poor dog died but don’t put the blame where it doesn’t belong.

      • “One broke threw the doggie door to the yard”

        So in other words a owner so lazy they let their pet roam in and out of the house without being monitored. Hell yeah that’s genius. THAT’S A LAZY OWNER.

    • In the original article it states the the owner left the dog, along with their other dog, closed in their laundry room to muffle the sounds, so he wouldn’t be alone and scared as no one would be there. The dog broke through the doggy door, that was also locked, and tried to get away through the fence. I really don’t think they’re to blame.

    • The dog was inside. Read again. Fireworks are asinine, grow up and get your adolescent kicks in a way that doesn’t annoy people and cause the death of animals or blow a hand off, please. They need to be illegal and are here. And believe me I have been calling the police for years and they are finally responding. Just please stop.

    • So does this pet owners’ (albeit a cop) ineptitude, carelessness, and death trap fence, mean we should ban thunderstorms and lightning too ??‍♂️ Unfortunately the dog died due to this persons carelessness, but seriously most pets that are afraid of thunderstorms and lightning have the same fight or flight response to them as well.?

  1. this is frigging sad.instead of killing these furballs take care of them and strop scaring. maybe someone shoud take a gun and shoot it off toward people and see how they like it.

    • ” “The dog was closed away, in a separate area last night, and broke out if that too, the owner is a police officer who had to work last night!!!”

      Some people noted that the fencing is quite narrow – likely adequate to keep a dog contained if not for the terror caused from the firework explosions.”

      Is that also your judgment concerning the Labradoodle who broke OUT of the house because of the illegal fireworks some asshat set off, or doesn’t it matter to you that dogs who are afraid of fireworks have been known to break free from any number of places? It’s the number one reason dogs are lost, or didn’t you know that?

      • What does the owner being a cop have one damn thing to do with anything??? Lots of people work nights. Also, I believe that comment has a typo — meant to read “Some people noted that the fencing is quite narrow – likely INadequate to keep a dog contained if not for the terror caused from the firework explosions.”….fencing being too narrow would not make it safer so the sentence makes no sense unless it reads that it was inadequate. So yes, this would make the owner responsible leaving the dog contained within inadequate fencing knowing it was a night that fireworks would be a big issue for the dog and he should have taken extra measures to ensure the dog was contained in a safe area — a better idea would have been to leave the dog with friends or relatives who were going to stay at home. You seem to lean a lot on a comment that contains a typo for your repeated answers to people, and again…………the guy being a cop is totally irrelevant.

      • Terry, Not everyone has “friends and neighbors” that can take their dogs in or want to be responsible for them. This person did what they thought would keep their dog safe and it failed, end of story. You just are bent on blaming the owner of the dog, Obviously you are one of the “perfect” pet parents that has never had your pet have an accident. Most of us are human and do our best but can’t foresee something like this happening. If you look at the date of this, the owner probably never expected fireworks to be shot off in their neighborhood at New Years. Also, fear of fireworks and storms and fireworks can come on quite suddenly. Our dog had never shown any interest in storms until one night when we almost took him to the emergency vet because we thought he was having a heart attack, He was 11 years old and had never done that before..

      • Tina, I realize that, why are you telling me this? I never indicated it was in the US.

      • Barkley’s Mom Sorry. Mean no insult, but, South Africa does display fireworks on New Years Eve.

      • Tina, Be it South Africa, USA or Tim buck too, my meaning was who would expect someone in your neighborhood setting off fireworks on New Years Eve, we have public displays this time of year but most individual people don’t around here, at least. Of course I live in the Northeast so it’s too cold for most folks to be out setting off fire crackers. Better yet, just forget I ever said anything just chalk it up to an old broad that is going senile.

    • They said he was in an enclosed area and broke out of it. The owner was a policeman who had to work. What kind of crazy fence is that though with spikes in the middle. Sad.

      • IT WAS NOT!! READ!!!! “The dog was closed away, in a separate area last night”…..this says NOTHING ABOUT IT BEING INSIDE!!! In fact, what it DOES say is that the fence was too narrow where the dog was being kept!! JAYZUZ!!!!

    • True, there were many warnings to dog owners to keep their dogs indoors during fireworks, however, the poor creature could have been a stray.

      • Are you serious???? Really???? Do you understand what you read? Because this is what the article says “Though many people wanted to point the finger of blame to the dog’s owner, the SPCA offered words of defense, stating, “The dog was closed away, in a separate area last night”…..what part about this comment makes you think the poor creature could have been a stray??? I seriously think some of you commenters make stuff up as you go along…………pffft

      • Tina, your making me laugh, your rite, snickers bar with a valium. which i hate to say has been the advice of some animal medical professional’s. to keep them in the basement and on a mild sedative. more dogs are lost for ever as the run blindly until lost for ever. it is the reason for many strays in the past especially before micro chipping. so keep your dogs inside as far away as you can from the sound and it will all be over soon because no one can ever afford the amount of fire crackers they really want and nobody be surprised because we all should know that dog’s are terrified of firecrackers.

      • Actually they do in South Africa. Knowing they are allowed fireworks in their own backyard..they do warn to protect children and their pets.

  2. I had to drug my dogs and trust me i hated it. The fear was so strong that i gave them the meds at 4pm and at a quarter to 12 they finally collapsed because they could no longer walk, yet they were still awake. It was nerve wracking because the younger one had still been trying to climb over and under things and had no control over his body and i was scared to death he would hurt himself. They were really groggy the next day which helped a little because the idiots were once again shooting fireworks. I’ve never had dogs who were this afraid and its a terrible experience because you dont know how to help them.

    • I had a dog like that too. It was a nightmare. It got worse as the years went by. Once I came home from work to find the lower half of my hollow core bathroom door totally chewed through because of a bad thunderstorm. She wanted to get in the bathroom. And even if I was home there was no way I could comfort her..she would just go crazy. Had to drug her.

    • you have good instincts and you were able to keep them safe. you did a good job defending them. I think you suffered more. and for that I am truly sorry

  3. Read the story people! This dog belonged to a police officer that had to work and was put up INSIDE but got out because of the fireworks! Not everything is cut and dry. Yes it is horrible but some things just can’t be prevented. The only thing that I question about this is who in the world would actually take a picture of something this horrible?!

    • Thank you! These ignorant comments have me steamed! Blaming the dog’s owner when it was clearly the fault of the scum who set the darned things off makes me sick.

    • my heart hurts for the policeman…out doing his job and loses his pet. My dog doesn’t mind the fireworks but I keep her inside anyway just to be safe. Too many crazy people in this world…she is never out of my sight for long.

  4. I am from Krugersdorp, we have the same problem here. But the problem here they start early in December and still going on. Please don’t tell me this is the dog(s) owner fault. Because this is bull shit. I get up at 3 am in the mornings to go to work. Then I have to stay up till late to care for my dogs (4) so they don’t hurt them self, because the tables I do get from the veterinarians helps only for a few hours. THE OWNERS OF THAT POOR PUPPY, MY HART GOES OUT TO YOU. To those barbarics with there fireworks, I hope 1 day those fireworks will explode in you fucking face. Yes, there are people with pets that leave them at home and go on holidays or out for the evening and don’t care about there animals, to you all I just want to say you don’t deserve those animals or there love. (Because I call people like you also barbarians).

  5. This is so sad, Condolences to the dog’s owner I can’t imagine coming home to find this had occurred. I agree, why must people shoot off fire works in a residential area, Fireworks should be done for the public by professionals. I do not condemn the owner, they had no way of knowing some idiot would be causing a ruckus It’s just a tragic accident, rest in peace sweet pup, I’m so sorry your life ended this way.

  6. They don’t need to be banned, and those who shoot fireworks aren’t to blame in the least. The dog is dead because its owners used a dangerous fence and didn’t keep their dog safe inside or on a leash. The Barberton SPCA needs to put the blame where blame is due and quit crying like idiots.

  7. This is why l never go out New Year’s l always stay home with my animals and soothe them when idiots let off fireworks.

    • Your the stupid ass I guess you don’t know how to read the dog was inside he was so scared he broke out of the house an broke through a fence

      • You’re the stupid ass! What Vicki was explaining was she doesn’t go anywhere on New Years Day because her concern for her dogs. Dogs even in the home still are very frightened of fireworks.

  8. My dogs are all super scared of fire works! We live in the county wheee they see them off when they want to! We stay home on the 4th just to play loud mucsic and sit with our four large fur babies! Our asshole neighbors all set off fire works and don’t care or think what it is doing to the 17 dogs that love inmediately around us! They also set them off on Christmas, New Years, Halloween just basically when they feel like it!!

  9. Why do we even have fireworks anyway? They are loud, obnoxious and dirty. No one picks up after. Laser light shows are a better choice. I had one dog that had to be drugged and restrained because she would try and jump out the windows.

  10. Al of you talk about your terrified dogs, Petting them cuddling them soothing them. But not one of you has actually taken your dog to a vet who is up to date on storm or noise phobia, and gotten an appropriate prescription (Xanax is drug of choice) You at failing your dog out of fear of drugging him. (by the way Xanax does NOT make dogs dopey or weird)

    • How do you know people here have not taken their dogs to the vets for meds to calm them during fireworks?!!! Lets not ASSume they didn’t or haven’t!

    • you are mistaken Susan, medication is a game of numbers and ratios and often a dog can be drooling and unable to walk bit still clearly conscious. its tricky when it comes to small dog’s. you have large dogs

  11. Owner should be held accountable for having such a shitty fence around their house. The fence killed the dog.

    • I agree with you. If a proper fence had been in place it would have contained the dog without harm. The owner would have returned home to find a very frightened dog their yard instead of a dead one impaled by their fence.

  12. I don’t even think this dog is dead. I think hes stuck between the fence and a post. Look carefully at the picture. It looks like the fence ends and he tried to squeeze between the fence and the post. And who knows how he got there? I love dogs and while some could care less about fireworks there are others that totally freak out. But I happen to think this is just fake news.

      • The article does not mention USA Independence Day was being celebrated in Africa…it just mentions fireworks. U.S.A are not the only ones who have fireworks!

    • Does it really matter where? It’s about the dangers of what fireworks can do to a dog anywhere in the world…Geez!

  13. I blamed the owners and the people that did the fireworks! First of all, it doesn’t take a genius to know that fireworks terrifies dogs and for owners to not have the heart to keep them inside knowing of the fireworks and even just for the days until it’s over is general common sense safety. So you got to be an idiot and you have no compassion if you leave your dogs outside. I never leave my dogs outside, unless I am home and they need to do their business. Also I let them out maybe 30 mins before fireworks begin. Never in my enire life I leave any of my dogs outside, I don’t care if they poop or pee inside in the bathroom I have no problem cleaning when I get home. My labrador is inside freely in the living room, and if he has to go then be it. I have 6 dogs, and for owners to not have safety common sense you need to reevaluate your reasons of having dogs. Fireworks should be banned! These people that do fireworks each year are all idiots! There is no need for it, and it makes people evil because they cause harm to animals and people. People even exchange their dogs for these holidays so they can party and leave town. The spirit of holidays have become the spirit of evil for some people, and it is very unfortunate that people have lost their compassion and their brains over a short moment of happiness.

  14. Irresponsible pet owner period. There are people who should never ever be pet parents nor allowed near any animal for that matter. If it was a human child they would have kept the child safely on the home. They would have safer fencing also. Dont get anymore pets you dont deserve them. Animals have suffered too long. They need people who will step up to the plate and care for them and speak up and defend them.

    • the real reason. the incredably diabolical fence, that will allow a small animal in the wonder and intentionally viserste an animal. that is the specific porpoise of that particular fence and you would only see this fence in Africa. this fence is a live animal trap and takes no living prisoners. this dog owner has been hoist be his own petard

      • You used the word “diabolical” & even spelled it right….this is amazing! ….although you lost it on “incredibly” … However, you can’t even structure a sentence properly — how did porpoise fish get involved in this story? And — what the heck is the meaning of your entire post? Your mind may make some iota of sense out of this statement but mine sure can’t!! My gosh!! And….what the heck is this?? ” that will allow a small animal in the wonder and intentionally viserste an animal.” I read your comment four times & was left bewildered every time. The only sense I was able to make is that you think the fence is actually a live animal trap. Wow!!!

      • Terry even with ellen’s misspelling of certain words I understood her comment. Think about it. Who would ever have such a dangerous type of fence….hell we don’t sell those types in the U.S.! If that dog was allow to escape through a reg fence without the one pictured it would have surviied!!!!!

  15. Seriously:

    1) KEEP YOUR PETS INSIDE DURING FIREWORKS. For most part this only happens at night and only for a few days. THUNDERSTORMS can have the same effect on a pet.

    2) That fence is dangerous as hell. There are many dogs just like this one that a pet can clearly get through and that spike has no useful feature in a fence. I would NEVER let a pet loose in a yard like this.

    Swear some pet owners are just as bad as some parents who let their kids run loose and then they get hurt by something any civilized parent would have never let their child near. Pets are your children… you know this is gonna happen and the entire nation does it. It’s not a surprise. KEEP. THEM. INSIDE. If you take them out have them on a leash. That’s how your pet lives.

  16. You all are harsh. Many people in South Africa don’t care this much about humans.
    That said, it’s a tragedy, stop blaming the owner. That fence is awful but it’s probably designed that way to prevent thieves from getting in the house. Many S.A’s live in gated houses.
    Hopefully this design can be taken off the market or retrofitted so it’s less likely for this to happen again?
    But perhaps people could stop setting off their own fireworks and instead have a community show in a park or something?

  17. Are you people F****** nuts! Everyone I know including myself give our pets a sedative given to us by the vet. How dare you make an assinine comment in the article that the people that shot off the fireworks were at fault and to ban forever fireworks shooting, that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever read. People have been shooting of fireworks since 1777 on the 4th of July, they don’t need to stop fireworks that need to educate the morons that don’t get a seditive for their animals and or keep them in the house. By the way the sedatives work fine and the animals deal good with it on them. I have all the love in the world for our pets, but because they are scared I’m not going to create an outcry fireworks be banned, what the hell is this world coming to? Ban this ban that…ban…ban…ban, ban the flag, ban the statue or remove it because some sensitive pussy has a twinge wahhh because of it, get some b**** ok!

    • Not every dog can be drugged to the point they won’t react to storms or fireworks. I had a dog that didn’t develop the fear of storms until he was 11 years old and even with a sedative he would shake and cry and run around the house. I now have a German Shepherd that chases and chews her tail. She recently bit it so bad some of her tail had to be removed. She has been on every sedative available and they have had no effect on her obsession. I understand you are tired of people yelling for everything to be banned, I feel the same it’s getting ridiculous, but fireworks don’t need to be shot off in neighborhoods. I am sitting here listening to my next door neighbor shooting off fireworks hoping the sparks won’t set my house on fire. Fireworks should be left for professional displays. Never mind they scare our pets, people get hurt every year from carelessness and not knowing what they are doing. That is the reason they should be banned.

  18. Yes some of you will give guilt and stuff to the owner, because you were part of the people booming firework, stop making fucking excuses, that was wrong. Dogs dies because of the stupidity of many people, all you care about is yourself. Stop this lame comments, dogs also have feelings?

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