‘Purge the Pyrotechnics!’ Pittsburgh’s Plans for Independence Day Bash Draw Sponsorship Offer from PETA—With a Catch
For Immediate Release:
September 30, 2025
Contact:
Hannah Nelson 202-483-7382
With the City of Pittsburgh seeking sponsors for a fireworks display at its 250th anniversary Independence Day event next year, PETA sent a letter today to Brandon D’Alimonte, Program Manager of CitiParks Office of Special Events, urging him to make it a sensational semiquincentennial for everyone by upgrading from deafening fireworks to an animal-friendly dazzling drone or light show. In return, PETA is offering to help sponsor the celebration—and will even bring its famous vegan ice cream truck to the party.
In the letter, PETA points out that fireworks displays are terrifying for cats and dogs, who have been known to jump fences or break through windows and screen doors in a frantic attempt to escape the chaos—and that every Fourth of July, shelters across the country are inundated with animals who fled their homes in terror. In addition to the danger they pose to companion animals and wildlife, the booms and blasts of fireworks can also be deeply distressing for military veterans and anyone else sensitive to loud noises or smoke.
“Fireworks sound like actual ‘bombs bursting in air’ to animals, who panic and are often injured or even killed as they try to escape some horror they don’t understand,” says PETA President Tracy Reiman. “PETA is urging Pittsburgh to make its Independence Day celebration a blast for everyone by opting for a spectacular drone or laser light show.”
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.
