We are starting a documentary project that focuses on the consequences of fireworks on animals, from dogs, cats, and other animals living in our homes, to wild animals inhabiting urban environments and nature.
Our goal: To show how fireworks put the lives and physical and psychological health of thousands of animals at risk. Additionally, we will turn this work into a tool for support and advocacy in legislative and educational campaigns that fight for a change in the way we celebrate our festivities.
No celebration should put anyone’s integrity or life at risk.
COLABORA EN EL CROWDFUNDING
How does fireworks affect animals?
Anyone who has lived with animals knows what fireworks mean for them. Even if we don’t realize how they are affected, a vast number of animals show fear, stress, or terror in response to the explosions.
Animals do not have the capacity to rationalize their anxiety in response to the loud noises of fireworks and can suffer intensely, even in a way similar to post-traumatic stress in humans. Far from gradually adapting to the noise, it is very common for them to develop a phobia that causes their reaction to become more intense over time, meaning their response increases with repeated exposure.
In addition to worsening chronic conditions, such as cardiorespiratory failures, many animals die because of fireworks due to heart failure or severe injuries when trying to escape or being hit by vehicles.
Cats, due to their hunting instinct, may even grab a firecracker with their mouth, which can end up exploding in their face.
Each year in Italy, around 5,000 animals living in human homes die. In the Spanish state, there are no official figures, but the number could be similar.
Many birds flee in terror after the explosions or die from heart failure, leaving their young orphaned, who in most cases will also die.
In the case of horses, it is estimated that 79% experience anxiety due to firecrackers, and 26% suffer injuries.
As of today, there is no concrete data on how fireworks affect smaller animals. However, considering how larger ones are impacted, it can be truly horrific.
All of these are just a few examples of the terrible consequences of a custom that claims thousands of lives every year around the world and causes unimaginable panic for countless animals.
Who is choosing to make a change?
Fortunately, a growing number of cities around the world are choosing to ban this extremely painful and cruel practice for so many individuals. Today, there are alternatives for celebration, such as the use of drones, light shows, or image projections on monuments, among others.
This change is only possible through collective mobilization.
Help us with this project.
Our intention is to raise awareness about this terrible reality in the Spanish territory.
Our goal is to document the most important fireworks events: Las Fallas in Valencia, Sant Joan in Barcelona, and New Year's Eve in Vigo. We will go to these places to film and photograph what happens there, showing how fireworks affect animals both in cities and in nearby natural environments. We will interview experts in Biology, Ethology, and Veterinary Medicine. We will include testimonies from those who care for them at home, in the streets, or in shelters, and from those who have lost a beloved animal because of it. In this way, we can convey everything an animal suffers when trapped in the strange, violent, and terrifying context that fireworks represent.
All of this involves a lot of production work to prepare the recordings, organize trips, and schedule interviews. After that, the editing phase will begin, where we will review all the footage, select the material, and edit it to create the short film. Finally, we will send the project to professional color and sound studios.
The project will be accompanied by a photo report that will complement its educational and informative purpose. This report will support various media outlets such as the press, social networks, and the campaign’s website, as well as physical formats like posters, flyers, and others.
The result of all our work will be made available to activists, individuals, and organizations that wish to raise awareness about fireworks and their effects on animals.
To carry all of this out, your collaboration is essential. With your financial support, we will be able to create audiovisual material that serves as a key tool to generate debate, social pressure, changes in attitudes, and, if possible, institutional and legislative changes to protect everyone who suffers from the effects of fireworks.
What will we do with the minimum budget of €8,700?
Once we reach the initial budget we need, we will be able to cover the basic expenses of the project such as transportation, accommodation, and food for the people traveling to film the work. A portion will be allocated to outsourcing the documentary’s sound post-production, and another part to promoting it on social media and other platforms. Additionally, we will be able to submit the documentary to film festivals where the film can be seen by thousands of people.
What will we do with the ideal budget of €34,000?
We will be able to cover the remuneration of the technical and production team, social security contributions, and taxes, as well as outsource additional audiovisual processes such as color grading. We will also be able to allocate a larger budget for promotion and distribution, both among organizations working in legislative and educational fields, and through social media, screenings, festivals, and contests.
About us
Animals’ View is a non-profit association made up of activists advocating for animal rights. Through images and information, we aim to create a change in collective awareness regarding our relationship with other animals.
This project will be carried out with the participation of:
Ruth Montiel Arias: Artist and photographer with a long career bringing concern for animals into the world of art.
Linas Korta: Video journalist and filmmaker specializing in animals and their exploitation. His work has been used by animal rights organizations both nationally and internationally.
Bel González: Photojournalist. Collaborates professionally and voluntarily with several animal rights organizations.
Xiana Castro: Video journalist and filmmaker. Involved in animal advocacy for over 25 years.
Additionally, we will count on the work of the rest of the Animals’ View team, without whom this and other projects could not move forward.
