Switzerland votes on a nationwide fireworks ban to give scared pets some peace

Anyone with a nervous pet knows the dread when the first firework goes off. Switzerland is now asking its citizens whether the loudest ones should be taken off the shelves.

Voters will go to the polls on November 29 to decide on a nationwide restriction. Animal welfare and environmental groups back the proposal, called “For a restriction on fireworks”, and early polling suggests many people are ready to say yes.

What would change across Switzerland?

Selling and using “noise-producing fireworks for private use” would be banned throughout the country. Sparklers and fountain-style volcanoes would still be allowed.

Big celebrations would not necessarily go quiet. Each region could grant exemptions for major events that reach beyond a single area, such as Swiss National Day on August 1 and New Year’s Eve, though quieter displays would remain the focus. Even where an exemption is granted, individuals would still be barred from setting off noisy fireworks; the exemption applies to organised displays.

Rules currently vary from place to place, because regions and local councils can set their own limits on selling and using fireworks. Age limits and licences also apply, so supporters want one clear rule for the whole country.

Swiss poll shows strong support

A Swiss Broadcasting Corporation poll released on October 23 found 69 per cent of voters in favour. Support was strongest on the left and among women, but a majority across the political spectrum backed it. The poll was conducted in early October, before the main campaign, so it indicates early support rather than a certain outcome.

Campaigners collected more than 137,000 signatures after submitting the idea in 2023. A parliamentary counter-proposal, which would have banned only noise-only firecrackers, failed in parliament in June, so the decision now goes to the public.

Pets, wildlife and farm animals

Swiss Animal Protection (Schweizer Tierschutz STS) says fireworks are “pure stress” for pets, wild animals and farm animals. Sudden bangs can cause fear, panic and disorientation, and in the worst cases injuries or death.

Vet Maruschka Blaser warns that horses running out of control can quickly put people and other animals in danger. Some cats and dogs need calming medication days beforehand, she says, and she knows families who spend the night in an air-raid shelter with their pets.

The clean air question

Switzerland uses between 1,000 and 2,000 tonnes of fireworks each year, according to the Federal Office of Police, and about three-quarters of that weight is packaging. They produce an estimated 200 to 400 tonnes of fine dust annually, which the Federal Office for the Environment says is two to three per cent of national particulate emissions. The dust contains toxic metals and can harm anyone who breathes it in, especially people with existing health conditions.

Opponents warn of a “prohibition culture”

Critics say the plan goes too far. The Swiss Fireworks Coordination Office calls it a threat to Swiss tradition, and some politicians argue it limits personal freedom and should be left to the regions to decide.

The Swiss People’s Party, the Centre Party and the Swiss Trade Association are campaigning against it, warning of the impact on business owners and a “prohibition culture”.

How Switzerland compares with its neighbours

A yes vote would echo moves elsewhere in Europe. The Netherlands brought in a nationwide ban on consumer fireworks this summer, mainly for safety reasons but also for animal and environmental welfare; low-noise novelty fireworks such as sparklers remain available, while larger fireworks are restricted to professionals and authorised organisations. Belgium restricts large, powerful fireworks to professionals.