Cumbria fireworks plea after reptile dies and owl injured

An animal attraction has issued a plea to limit fireworks to professional displays after a reptile died and an owl was injured at its site.

Pet Encounter Cumbria, in Workington, said an eight-month-old crocodile skink named Toothless was so stressed by the vibrations at its enclosure on Bonfire Night that it died.

The company’s part-owner and animal handler Ben Nicholson said its snowy owl Athena was also spooked and injured her wing on her enclosure.

Mr Nicholson said staff were “angry and upset” as they had lost an animal every year for the past five years. He added that the volume of fireworks also seemed to have increased every year.

He said: “It just seems to be getting worse and worse.

“The sheer number of the fireworks and the noise that’s coming from them is unbelievable.”

Mr Nicholson said staff had planned to move their outdoor animals inside by nightfall, but that the first of Wednesday’s fireworks had begun at about 16:30 GMT.

“It was literally right over our heads,” he said.

Staff had also taken measures to protect the company’s sensitive reptile species, including investing in a rubber roof to reduce noise and playing soothing music.

He said some of the animals “still aren’t right” following Wednesday’s fireworks.

“Some of them are still off their food,” he said.

Mr Nicholson said he wanted the sale and use of fireworks to be limited.

“It’s time the UK bans the sale of fireworks to the public and only operates under authorised, controlled and professionally ran displays,” the company posted on social media.

“There seems to be no change coming,” Mr Nicholson said.