SeaWorld’s Noisy and Dangerous Fireworks Return December 9

Beginning Dec. 9, fireworks will return to the sky over SeaWorld.

Dubbed “A Christmas Wish Fireworks Show” it will return every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in December. And beginning Dec. 22, the show will take place daily through Dec. 31.

The loud explosions will begin 10 minutes prior to the park closing at 10:30 pm. Special fireworks displays will be held at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 9 to kick off the Mission Bay Boat Parade, as well as at 9 p.m. Dec. 31 to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

Local residents have been complaining about the fireworks for years – an online petition has been up — for years — and have been clamoring for the unsafe explosions to be halted — but to no avail. It doesn’t seem to matter despite 13,609 signatures.

Marine animals and local pets — as well as humans — suffer from the noise.

And don’t forget! SeaWorld has still not paid their back rent to the city  of San Diego — it’s over $10 million.

Here’s what our Rag writer Judi Curry wrote 2 years ago:

1. Fireworks have been proven to be harmful to pets and wildlife.

The use of explosive fireworks near animals is considered cruel and inhumane as it causes stress and fear. Animals who are too close to explosions often suffer from burns and eye damage, among others.

2. Animal ears are very much more sensitive than the human ear.

Firework explosions can permanently damage their sense of hearing. Many animals are terrified of these noises so they try to break free, jump off fences to escape the terror.

3. Animals that flee from fireworks often get lost or killed.

Cats and dogs are prone to being hit by vehicles and birds are prone to fly into buildings and end-up breaking their necks.

4. Animals get injured.
There are dogs and other domesticated animals that are brought to shelters with paws and some body parts that are bloody from running or torn skin from tearing through a backyard wooden fence or, worse, crippled from being hit by a car.

5. Birds often fly away in fright.

And nesting mothers sometimes tend to get lost trying to return to their nests. Waterfowls such as herons, ducks, pelicans, and other sea birds become entangled in fragments of fireworks that land in ponds and waterways.

6. Fishes, sea turtles, and other marine animals ingest the firework debris and die.

And also cause the deaths of the scavenging animals that eat them.

7. Even insects are at risk.

Insects like bees and butterflies can become disoriented, injured, and killed.