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On Guy Fawkes night in Delft, Cape Town, a dog named Max faced a terrifying ordeal. Terrified by the deafening explosions of fireworks, Max fled in panic, desperately trying to escape the noise. In his frantic attempt to find safety, he tried to squeeze through a burglar-proof gate but became impaled on one of its sharp metal spikes. A Cape of Good Hope Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) collection officer rushed him to a private vet, but severe injuries to his intestines and bladder meant he had to be euthanised. Max’s death was among the cases reported to the SPCA, which received 81 calls on Guy Fawkes. The night also brought violence and public disorder. In Lavender Hill and other parts of Cape Town, incidents included stone-throwing at vehicles, attacks on motorists and pedestrians, and paint and water being thrown at members of the public. In Gelvandale, Eastern Cape, a police van caught fire after a burning tyre allegedly broke loose as youngsters swung it and landed underneath the vehicle. These incidents unfolded despite repeated warnings from authorities about the dangers of fireworks and the consequences of reckless behaviour. The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) enforced the designated fireworks hours of 7pm to 10pm on days including Diwali, Guy Fawkes, Christmas Eve, Day of Goodwill and New Year’s Day. On New Year’s Eve, the permitted period shifts to 11pm to 1am. No incidents were reported. In the Western Cape, the Department of Health’s Emergency Medical Services had reported no Guy Fawkes-related injuries by the time of publication. However, Cape Town mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith confirmed that a motorcyclist sustained minor injuries after a bottle was allegedly thrown at him on Prince George Drive, causing him to fall from his motorcycle. On Friday, Belinda Abraham, communications manager at the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, told Daily Maverick that Max was among at least five animals requiring urgent veterinary care during the organisation’s Guy Fawkes response. Eight inspectors had worked through the night as the SPCA logged 81 calls – a significant increase from the 51 last year. Max was inside his home in Delft when fireworks went off just after dark on Guy Fawkes Night. His family had locked the security gate to keep him safe. In his panic, Max tried to squeeze between the bars and was impaled. “Max should still be alive today. Our thoughts are with his family. Every bang carries into the homes around you. Please think of the animals inside and celebrate without fireworks,” Abraham said. In Gqeberha, the Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL) Port Elizabeth had, by Friday, not received reports of animals injured by fireworks, firecrackers or burning tyres. However, Karien van Schalkwyk, on behalf of the AACL, cautioned that the absence of reported injuries did not necessarily mean animals had escaped unharmed. “We may still find lost escaped pets on the run and owners looking for them as the day progresses, and over the weekend, when owners realise their frightened pets did not come back home,” she said. Van Schalkwyk identified the swinging of burning tyres as a particular concern, especially because the practice costs nothing and attracts children, who are drawn to the sight of large burning objects in the dark. The organisation had received reports of tyres being swung in parts of the northern areas and Sidwell on Thursday night. “The public holiday before Guy Fawkes this year sadly meant that children had time on their hands for tyre swinging on what would otherwise have been a school night,” she added. A devastating reminder of the dangers associated with firecrackers came before this year’s Guy Fawkes celebrations, when eight-year-old Toheer
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