Derbyshire woman’s beloved pets ‘died due to terrifying bangs from fireworks’

Abbie Sisson, who runs a budgie rescue centre from her home in Ripley, told how Jareth, Sarah and Shirley died after suffering seizures caused by loud fireworks going off in her neighbourhood.

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Abbie has expressed her heartbreak at losing her beloved birds and is now calling for changes to regulations that govern the sale and use of fireworks.

The three budgies were among 34 Abbie looks after at her home rescue centre called One Flew Over the Budgie’s Nest.

Many of them live in an outdoor aviary and started ‘panicking and flying around’ when the fireworks started on the evening of October 30, Abbie said.

She added: “The noise level of these particular fireworks was the loudest I have ever heard.

“As the fireworks continued, Jareth began to display signs and symptoms of having a seizure and passed away before the fireworks ended.

“Sarah, who is Jareth’s wife, then began to display the same symptoms and passed away shortly after the fireworks stopped."

She said the fireworks continued later that evening, causing Shirley – who was in Abbie’s home – to suffer seizures before dying at 1am.

Abbie said: “The deaths of these little birds were purely due to someone setting off fireworks in their back garden for their entertainment.

“This entertainment for them resulted in a night of devestation and heartbreak for us.”

According to Dr Yvette Rowntree, of Midland-based Scarsdale Vets, it is ‘not uncommon’ for pet birds to die when exposed to sudden loud noises or vibrations.

An online petition demanding a ban on the general sale of fireworks to the public, due to people, animals and wildlife being hurt, was debated in Parliament last week.

Abbie said: “I feel fireworks need to be better regulated.

“Noise levels need to be drastically minimised and they should only be sold to those who hold a licence to display them in non-residential areas.”

She added that fireworks should only be permitted on certain nights of the year, such as November 5.

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