An animal welfare charity worker has called for greater awareness and tougher restrictions on where and when fireworks are used to better protect pets and vulnerable people.

Natasha McPhee, who runs Animals Lost and Found in Kent, which supports injured and lost animals and reunites them with their owners, was speaking on KentOnline's The Lowdown, a regular live-stream where panel members discuss topics in the news.

On tonight's show, The Lowdown host Kristina Curtis asked guest Ms McPhee whether there should be tougher controls for Bonfire Night.

Often as part of her role, the charity worker will have to attend animal roadside deaths or injuries and she says there is often an increase in incidents and heightened anxiety during the firework season owing to misuse.

The Gillingham resident says many animals in her care, including cats and dogs, can become incredibly stressed by loud noises and bangs.

She said: "Some cats don't care. Some dogs don't care. We've got four dogs of our own and one runs off and the others just sit there.

"But you do have the flip side where some animals are really petrified of them."

Ms McPhee added: "Those pet owners have to prepare animals for those occasions. For example closing the curtains, turning up music. Some animals are on medication they are so scared.

A KentOnline poll on whether fireworks should be banned from public sale saw nearly two-thirds (64.2%) of respondents in agreement, with just over a third (35.8%) believing they should not.

However, Ms McPhee was not in favour of an outright ban – which she believes is impractical.

"It is completely impossible for anybody to be able to govern this, that is the problem," she explained.

Instead the animal lover thinks there should be some tougher restrictions on when and where they can be used, or at the very least, more awareness on their potentially harmful impact on animals.

The charity worker said: "People forget the dangers of fireworks. It is an explosive at the end of the day and there needs to be more awareness of how to keep animals safe."

It is against the law for anyone to set off fireworks between 11pm and 7am, except on certain occasions.

These are Bonfire Night (until midnight) and New Year's Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year where you can let off bangers until 1am.

It is also illegal to set off or throw fireworks in the street or other public place.

You can be fined an unlimited amount and inprisoned for up to six months for setting off or using fireworks illegally.

And its not just pets that bare the brunt of the loud noises, children and adults with sensory issues may also feel uneasy during the fireworks season, explains Ms McPhee.

She continued: "An outright ban will never happen. And I don't think they will ever stop the sale to the general public either.

"But if people could be a bit more considerate for their neighbours it would be better.

"Or going into bigger places, fields away from built-up houses...because letting off a firework, especially in a built up area you are asking for trouble."

Lastly Ms McPhee advised owners to keep dogs on leads during occasions where fireworks could be let off, and said where anxious, to play them music, talk calmly and softly to them, or consider giving them a comfort blanket.

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