LahainaTown Action Committee Offered $5,000 for Silent Fourth of July Fireworks

Fundraising Efforts Prompt PETA Proposal: Choose Non-Explosive Fireworks for a Spectacular Stress-Free Show for Animals, Others

For Immediate Release:
June 8, 2017

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

LahainaTown Action Committee’s crowdfunding efforts to raise $25,000 this month for Independence Day fireworks has netted a PETA offer to contribute $5,000—if the committee agrees to use silent fireworks. Rich in colorful effects and choreography, they create a stunning show without the war-like explosions that scare birds away from their nests, cause dogs and cats to run for their lives, and upset many people, including the elderly and soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), who are sensitive to loud noises.

Animal shelters nationwide report an increase in the number of lost dogs and cats following traditional fireworks displays. Often, dogs go missing because they panic and jump over fences or even through glass windows to escape the terrifying sounds. Loud fireworks displays also alter animals’ breeding behavior and send birds flying into windows and wildlife racing onto roads, where they may be injured or killed.

“By offering sensational, soundless fireworks, Lahaina will prevent dogs, cats, wildlife, and humans suffering from PTSD from being bombarded with deafening noises,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA stands ready to help the city make a different kind of July Fourth history by putting on the first major Independence Day display that delivers all the flash without the fright.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—encourages families to protect their animal companions during fireworks displays by keeping them indoors (and, if possible, staying with them), never leaving them tethered outside, and turning on the TV or the radio to help drown out the frightening noises.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.