Video: ‘Hellboy’ Star Ron Perlman Says Niagara Falls Fireworks Are Hell For Animals
For Immediate Release:
July 16, 2025
Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382
Fireworks every night? Seriously? That’s Hellboy and Sons of Anarchy star Ron Perlman’s fired up message to Niagara Falls Tourism in a new PETA video in which he urges the association to end its Summer Fireworks Series and stop terrorizing area wildlife and companion animals with 151 nights of fireworks over the falls through October 13.
“Imagine dogs, cats, birds, deer, and other animals panicking every single night for months,” says Perlman in the video. “The falls are already a wonder. You don’t need gimmicks like fireworks to bring people in.”
In addition to disorienting and distressing animals, fireworks are notorious for sparking wildfires, and as a Los Angeles resident, Perlman has seen firsthand how they can devastate a community. With several companion animals at home, the actor knows the terror that ear-shattering fireworks can cause and recently urged fans to celebrate Independence Day—the number one day for fireworks and also the number one day for fires in the U.S.— responsibly in a recent PETA video.
Many other communities across Ontario—including North Bay, Ottawa, Sudbury, Timmins, and Toronto—have opted for drone shows and other explosion-free displays as more people become aware of fireworks’ detrimental effects. “Please do better,” urges Perlman in the video. “Switch to drones. Give animals, and everyone else, a break.”
More than 90,000 people have joined PETA’s call to push Niagara Falls officials to end these deafening displays. During fireworks shows, dogs and cats are known to jump fences or break through windows and screen doors to try to escape the noises, and some are never reunited with their families. Other animals, including wildlife, are hit by cars when they flee onto roads. Pyrotechnics also release toxins—including lead, carbon monoxide, aluminum, and sulfur—which can increase the amount of pollutants in the air by up to 42%.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
