A CHARITY is warning that fireworks could terrify animals this New Year’s Eve.

With many public firework displays cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the RSPCA is pushing for tougher regulations around the sale and use of fireworks.

The Horsham-based charity says fireworks cause stress and anxiety for animals.

Over the last four years, it has received 1,543 calls about fireworks affecting animals.

Clare McParland, a pet-owner from Worthing said her eight-year-old pooch Harley spends hours hiding and trembling during fireworks season.

She said: “My husband and I adopted Harley when he was just 15 months old.

“He’s always been a nervous little dog and is very noise sensitive but this worsened when my husband and our other dog died.

“We’ve been working with our vet and behaviourists to help Harley but fireworks continue to reduce him to a nervous wreck. He shakes like a leaf.

“This year is actually an improvement on how he’s reacted in previous years. It’s so upsetting to see him in such a state even for one evening.

“But this isn’t just for one night, it goes on for days as people around us set off fireworks at different times on different days.”

Nine-year-old lurcher Ollie, who was adopted from an RSPCA branch in York, suffers from stress-induced idiopathic head tremors triggered by fireworks.

The Argus: Nine-year-old lurcher Ollie. Nine-year-old lurcher Ollie.

His owner Claire Welsh said: “Ollie has always been sensitive to loud noises but this was something we had worked on with him in the past and was no longer a problem for him.

“Sadly, over the years, the fireworks have been lasting longer and longer each year, going on for months at a time. This makes it impossible to prepare for.”

To help ease the pressure on pet owners to calm their petrified pets, the RSPCA launched its #BangOutOfOrder campaign in 2019.

It calls for the restriction of private use of fireworks to agreed traditional dates (November 5, New Year’s Eve, Chinese New Year and Diwali), the maximum permitted noise level of fireworks for public sale to be reduced to 90 decibels and the licensing of all public fireworks displays.

RSPCA animal welfare expert Dr Mark Kennedy said: “Fireworks are extremely stressful and frightening for lots of animals.

“But they can also cause very serious injury and even death to some.

“It can be particularly dangerous for horses and livestock who can be spooked by the loud bangs and bright flashes of light, putting them at risk.”