A Scottish animal charity wants private fireworks banned across the UK, leaving only organised displays. Should garden fireworks on Bonfire Night be outlawed?
The Scottish SPCA says sudden bangs leave pets, horses and wildlife terrified or injured, and 98% of 1,625 of its members backed a ban. The UK government closed a consultation in October on limiting the noisiest fireworks to professionals; the British Fireworks Association says tighter rules would penalise a law-abiding majority and fuel a black market.
What happened
On 26 October the Scottish SPCA launched a campaign for a UK-wide ban on the private sale and use of fireworks, so they could only be used at professionally organised displays. It says bangs and flashes can make animals flee, injure themselves or stop eating. In a survey of 1,625 of its members, 98.2% backed a ban and two-thirds said they were extremely anxious about Bonfire Night. Separately, the UK government's Office for Product Safety and Standards consulted from July to 7 October 2026 on restricting the noisiest fireworks to professional users; the outcome hasn't been published.
Why people disagree
Backers say owners can't prepare their animals when they don't know when or where fireworks will go off, and that the nights around 5 November have become a nightmare for some communities. Opponents, including the British Fireworks Association, call fireworks a cherished British tradition and say restrictions would penalise a law-abiding majority for the actions of a criminal minority and push people towards a black market in more dangerous products.
What's still unclear
The charity's survey covered its own members, not the wider public. It's unclear what the government will decide after its consultation, whether a ban on private use could be enforced, and whether quieter fireworks would answer most of the concerns.
Sources
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