Fireworks Display Terrorizes Animals at California Shelter—Have Your Say!

Please respond immediately and forward as appropriate.

Noisy Fourth of July fireworks are sheer terror for animals, who don’t realize that the explosions are entertainment, not danger. Following fireworks displays, animal shelters nationwide report an increased number of lost animal companions. Many of these animals panic, jump over fences, and break chains; others have even reportedly jumped through plate-glass windows to get away from the loud booms. Lucky animals are reunited with their families, but others are never found, and some suffer serious injuries or even death as a result of their attempts to escape the noise.

This year, the animals at the Ventura County Animal Shelter in Camarillo, California, are once again set to face a horrifying night as the Lion’s Club hosts its annual fireworks display—which is held, according to complainants, less than a football field’s length away from the shelter.

Please contact Camarillo Lion’s Club chapter officials and politely remind them that loud noises such as fireworks terrify animals and may even lead to psychological problems in some animals. Remind them that the Ventura County Animal Shelter should be a safe haven for animals—not a house of horror. Urge them to relocate the fireworks display to a location far away from the animal shelter—or better still—to cancel the fireworks display outright and replace it with a less noisy celebration, such as a laser display.

Impolite correspondence works against our efforts.

Mike Brown, President
Camarillo-Somis Pleasant Valley Lions Club
805-987-4272 (phone)
mjbelectric@worldnet.att.net

Jerry Ahara, Chairperson
Lion’s Club Zone 8
805-482-5073
ahara@ncr.com 

Chuck Cassy, District Governor
Lion’s Club
805-642-3889 (home)
805-642-0392 (business)
805-642-0365 (fax)
yeswecan@pacbell.net

Please also share your concerns with Camarillo officials:

The Honorable Mike Morgan, Mayor
Jam McDonald, Vice Mayor
Charlotte Craven, Kevin Kildee, and Don Waunch, Councilmembers (council@ci.camarillo.ca.us)
Jerry Bankston, City Manager (citymanager@ci.camarillo.ca.us)
City of Camarillo
601 Carmen Dr.
Camarillo, CA 93010
805-388-5307
805-388-5318 (fax)