Fireworks and animals

Last year, our three sheep were frightened to death by the fireworks on NYE, so much that they ran into their flexible fence. Selma got stuck in it even, so we had to cut her loose.

We thought we moved to a quiet neighborhood where no-one found pleasure in burning money into the air, but we were wrong. The wind blew the sparkling pieces, loudly exploding in even more small twinkle stars towards us, and the final explosions went off right above the poor sheep.

This year, we are prepared. Tonight, there were loud explosions and showers of light already on the 30st, and when we looked outside, the sheep were in the corner of their small winter field, were the fence stopped their flight. It is right outside our kitchen window:

"Is it really safe? I think it is still very scary. Maybe if you let me inside the house..."

We talked to them through the open window to reassure them that it isn't dangerous and that we take care of them. It looked as if they would like to but could not believe us, about the danger. So then we decided it was time to 'lock them up' in their safe place.

Here they stay over night, safe, not able to run away.

It is their shelter area, with a roof above their heads, fenced all around, and access to hay and water. Not so much space to make a walk and find some fresh grass straws, but better than running away, headless into the dark, and getting stuck in the fence, or, when they run out on the road, be hit by a car. Here they may stay the night, maybe released for the morning, but then in the afternoon they have to go in there again before the worst fireworks start.

Our kitten, who stays inside, has also been restless today. She 'hides'  in the workplace. There, so much stuff is standing on the floor that it is easy to hide. Her favorite place is on the lock of a 10 liter paint bucket.

On the news we learned that this year, fireworks for 150 million euros was bought in The Netherlands. So much money! It could be spent so much wiser.