By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Firecrackers are hazardous to your health and the environment.
This was the stance of an animal welfare group and an environmental health group as they urged the general public on Thursday (December 28) to welcome the New Year without the use of firecrackers and fireworks.
They said this move will protect human lives, as well as animals.
During the “Iwas Paputoxic” event held in a mall in Quezon City, the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and the EcoWaste Coalition (EWC) underscored the adverse effects of lighting firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices to humans’ feline and canine friends, and to humans themselves, including the environment.
PAWS and ECW maintained that firecrackers can traumatize animals.
“It brings about a terrified response from many dogs and they could sustain serious and even fatal injuries just trying to get away from the deafening noise,” Sharon Yap of PAWS said.
The groups also explained that the smoke inhaled from detonated firecrackers may cause anxiety, disorientation, loss of appetite, and an upset stomach for the furry animals.
They added that accidentally eating remnants of the firecrackers will further result in gastrointestinal problems, – symptoms of which could be abdominal pain, blood diarrhea, and vomiting.
(IAmigo/MNM)