A dog owner has revealed her dog went blind after her eyes ‘popped’ during a fireworks display.
Margaret Adams, 85, said Suzy the Labrador cross experiences extreme distress when fireworks season begin every year.
The grandmother explained how one Guy Fawkes night turned tragic as Suzy started ‘climbing the walls’ and ‘hiding in dark corners’.
She told Metro.co.uk: ‘We were just sitting and watching television when somebody started letting off fireworks.
‘She always gets very stressed when they start and she tried to climb the walls and go into a dark corner.
‘I didn’t notice anything until the next day when her eyes looked different.
‘So I took her to the vet and she had actually popped a lens in her eye.
‘They had to remove the lens from her eye and she now has glaucoma in both of her eyes. She can’t see a thing.
‘She does knock into things and I’ve got to be careful with her.’
Margaret said she was left ‘distraught’ by the whole ordeal which happened four years ago.
She said: ‘Suzy was given to me by my daughter after my husband died. She was a rock for me.
‘She boosted me something terrible, she was my companion.
‘She still is but in a different kind of way. I’m looking after her more than she’s looking after me now.’
Margaret is supporting the campaign to ban fireworks from the public and limit them to organised displays.
She added: ‘Even war veterans are suffering. These fireworks are light bombs going off. The poor veterans, it brings it all back to them. It’s not just animals.’
Suzy’s story follows the news that a puppy died after suffering a heart attack during a fireworks display.
Molly the terrier was just 18 weeks old when she experienced extreme distress on Saturday night.
Susan Paterson revealed on Facebook that Molly died in Wombwell, near Barnsley, South Yorkshire.
She said: ‘Due to the enormous amount of fireworks with loud bangs going off around Wombwell and lower Darfield last night, we lost a young terrier with a heart attack.
‘Please think of the animals. Molly was only 18 weeks old and died of FRIGHT caused by fireworks.
‘We are still trying to make sense of what happened. Dreading the fireworks again tonight.’
She shared a petition calling for a review of firework rules to protect animals from injury and distress.
More than half a million people have signed Julie Doorne’s petition, which states: ‘Fireworks can cause serious distress to animals. They don’t only suffer psychologically, but also physically as many attempt to run away from, or hide from, the bangs.
‘With extreme noise levels and people being able to let off fireworks any time of year, it’s difficult for those who care for animals to be able to put measures in place to protect their animals.
‘This is why I’m calling for an urgent review of firework regulations to further restrict their use, as a step to preventing needless animal suffering.’
Yesterday, we reported on dogs that were quaking in fear as fireworks were set off near their homes.
Karen Palmer posted footage of her dog Will shaking with fear in Stranraer, Scotland.
She said: ‘For all you people letting off fireworks tonight. I hope you’re all having a bloody good time cos I know someone who isn’t…… my poor boy!!!!
‘Get them banned for public sale and used for organised displays only.’
Last month Sainsbury’s said it would ban firework sales to stop causing distress to pets and older people, while Co-op has not sold them for the last five years.
