Last night at 12:30 am, some idiot set off powerful fireworks here in the neighborhood. Approximately 5 minutes later they set off a second time. I know what time it was because the explosion woke me from a sound sleep.
It also startled the neighbor’s dog who lives his life at the end of a chain. The poor creature barked for over an hour.
This morning I was out with Rumpy at 6am; we heard someone setting off fireworks at that time of day.
I was out watering the flowers when a neighbor walked by. I said hello and mentioned the fireworks last night. She said that earlier in the week neighborhood kids were lighting fireworks and throwing them at a dog chained up in his yard.
There are idiots who set off fireworks, and there are cruel bastards that do so. I had heard the firecrackers being set off but had no idea they were being thrown at a dog. I never heard a dog bark. But rest assured if I hear them again I will go investigate.
The neighbor who mentioned the kids throwing fireworks described them as foolish. I see them as cruel, especially since they did so repeatedly.
If you see signs of cruelty, don’t pass that behavior off as youthful indiscretion. Report it to your local law enforcement agency. They may not do anything with the kids but they WILL have to file a report. Then when they are called out again for other cruel behavior by those kids, there will already be a paper trail showing a pattern of behavior.
Dogpaddling Through Life 
I can’t like this post. If I saw someone throwing fireworks at animals I’d be out there with a broom and beating the hell out of the – while on the phone with the police. We had people do this at one of our dogs lost part of a paw.
I HATE fireworks. I’ve I’d have known for sure who did it I’d have shoved it where the sun don’t shine and lit it.
If I’d have known I would have done it. The neighbor said the dog’s owner is the one who saw it. What I don’t understand is why he still leaves his dog outside.
I had an outside dog when I was a kid on the farm. She was a big old farm dog and she loved being outside. She just ran all over. It wasn’t until the city came in that leash laws were instituted and we had to tie her up because she wanted no part of being in the house. I can see it in the country I can’t see it in town. I know somebody with three yard dogs. I have no idea why they bother having dogs.
Oh no!!!! How annoying these brainless kids are!!!! Very stressfull…….Oh no….poor dog who was thrown a fireworks at…….the dog much have been so scared……..but….you are so right…..reporting those brainless ones to your local law enforcement agency is better idea or those cruel ones never stop it……
they are not just foolish… that’s cruelty and brainless… and I fear such people like the plague… if they do such things, then I think something is seriously wrong with them….
Sociopaths, Criminals. Put them behind bars. Thank you Jen.
These are not the individuals I was writing about last week; those who enjoy a holiday in a manner I do not.
Instead of joy, this is an example of pure evil, packaged in human form. It deeply upsets me that it is possible both the legal and state social systems will act with compassion in their actions with these suspects, more so if the perpetrators are minors. After all, only a dog was involved; no property damage was incurred and no people were hurt. Growing up in difficult situations should encourage compassion, not violence. The chained dog has been not been granted compassion by master or by these individuals.
I’m both in tears and shaking with anger. Go forth Jen. You are a hero. 🐼💛
It seems like responsible parenting is a lost art. Thank you for looking into the situation and caring about the dog. It’s discouraging to think that those children might grow up to be equally thoughtless parents some day. We all need to look out for those who can’t speak for themselves especially the ones confined to a leash day in and day out. It’s heartless and cruel and very sad that the dog’s human doesn’t seem concerned.
Maggie doesn’t like fireworks (or thunder for that matter) and seeing her so afraid is upsetting. But rest assured if I saw someone deliberately tormenting a dog or any animal with fireworks, I would definitely report the little shits.
Yeah, this particular holiday is not something I look forward to anymore since moving to a ‘fireworks OK’ state. Previously I lived in states with a lot more restrictions. It’s pretty absurd what goes on in tightly built neighborhoods.
Hey rump. we celebrate without fireworks cause they freak mommy out too. They are too noisy and the whining whistling sound herts her ears. If she wants to go see da fireworks she goes to see a professional show and leaves us at home.
What do you think about that?
Indy
I think your mama is smart!
Obviously someone saw the firecrackers thrown at the dog. Others probably did too. So why didn’t any of them report it? We’re upset that anyone would watch and not report such dangerous behavior!
Me too.
I do a rain dance every 4th. The rain doesn’t seem to stop the idiots from shooting off fireworks.
Idiots!!!
Oh that makes me so sad. I hadn’t thought of the wildlife. Your poor neighbour dog too 😦 Fireworks are illegal to have personally in most of Australia thankfully. How could you see firecrackers thrown at an animal and NOT do anything about it at the time?! Some humans make me so furious. Happy 4th to your lovely pack.
I could not have said it any better myself. People truly are idiots if they owned animals the would take better care of what they do but since they don’t they don’t care if animals (humans) suffer because of the fireworks going off. I had it and wish that humans (some) would just get a clue. Thanks Kat
Happy 4th of July to you and your pack of friends and family.
This makes me both sad and angry. I hate fireworks almost as much as I hate cruelty. 😦
I have come to hate fireworks sold to individuals. If people want to enjoy them, they should go to the municipal exhibits provided, in our case, downtown on the Mississippi River levee where it is beautiful, safe and synchronized to music. They are illegal in our parish but people cross over to other parishes and bring them home to the neighborhoods. I’m very wary of Bob and Winston being in the back yard last night and tonight and the day after because people–adults AND kids— can be especially brutal to cats. I keep them in unless I can go out with them. Some idiots actually forget that their fireworks can land on someone else’s roof and start a fire. The other issue I have with them is that my husband is a Purple Heart honored veteran of he Vietnam war. He has PTSD. We were supposed to have a sign in front of our house for July 4th and New Year’s Eve/Day to remind people that a veteran lives here but I’m rather concerned that, although our little cul de sac is rather quiet, some marginally supervised kid may target their noise at our house just for kicks because of the sign.
I know what you mean. Some people have said I should have rushed over to the dog owner’s house and raised hell. But I have to remember that some people are vindictive and I have my own animals to consider. The cats here do not go outside and Rumpy only on-leash. Sad to think I have to be so untrusting of my neighbors….. but I do.
We have gotten like you and Kathy above: cautious about insisting people show some consideration. So little commonsense and compassion. Sad world. So much meanness around – applauded by so many.
At least the idiots who would get drunk and then go out and buy far too many and too big fireworks then set them off in their driveway/curb….no matter fireworks were illegal in this city or that there was a burn ban with everything dry as a bone.
We’ll go outside and watch the commercial fireworks from 3 different small cities across the lake, but all animals safe inside. I did like it better when fireworks displays were rare and only twice a year: New Years and the 4th. The fact that they were seldom seen increased the wonder.
Oh, and this year, our neighbors have a German shepherd– Ms. Ruby–that stays tied out back! Poor little girl.
Can’t stand it when people leave their animals out during fireworks. Even if it’s normally an outside dog, at least let the poor animal in during explosions.
To read this post is heartbreaking on multiple scores. The fact the neighbor dog is on a chain…and outside at night to boot is bad enough, but add fireworks to the story…well that is beyond acceptable. We likewise had loud fireworks going off at midnight last night and had I been able to pinpoint the exact location of them, I’d have been marching over to pay those cretins a personal visit just before I called the police! WHAT THE DEVIL IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE????? Grrr
morons
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