A dog owner from Northumberland is urging caution on Bonfire Night after his dog became so spooked by the fireworks that it ran away and was later killed by a speeding train.
Celebrations for Guy Fawkes Night cause a great deal of distress for pets who are left trembling with fear amid the fireworks.
This was the tragic case of two-year-old Mida, who escaped from her family due to the loud bangs.
Michelle Kennedy, from Berwick-upon-Tweed, was distraught after her father, Michael, left for a walk with their two Bearded Collies but returned only with one.
‘My dad was walking our two Bearded Collies around 5pm on Bonfire Night,’ she said.
‘It was just starting to turn to twilight, so it was not quite dark yet. He thought he would walk the dogs before it became dark and fireworks started.’
Unfortunately for Michelle’s family, the nearby caravan site had begun its display early, with no warning.
She added: ‘Their show was about 100 metres from where my dad was, and both dogs got a fright and ran away
‘My dad managed to get a hold of Dezzie, but lost Mida. After some two days of searching by the whole community, she was disocvered on the train track and had been hit by a train.’
The incident happened happened on Bonfire Night in 2017, causing an immense amount of stress for the entire family, who suffer with ‘guilt’ because of it.
Michele added: ‘The loss was awful for all of us, and especially for my mum and dad.
‘My mum was extremely upset and still carries the emotional scars with her, while my dad suffers with the guilt of this a lot.’
New statistics released this week show that four in five (80%) dog owners notice significant changes in their dog’s behaviour, while a third (30%) say their dog is ‘terrified’ of fireworks.
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