A dog has been captured trembling as fireworks are released in a sad and distressing video online.
The video was filmed on Guy Fawkes night on Friday, and shows a dog named Bella who is an eight-year-old Mastiff cross shaking and trembling while lying on the couch in the arms of his owners.
The owners can be seen covering the ears of the dog while rubbing him on the stomach to try reassure her and keep her calm.
"Like many other large dog breeds, Bella is a gentle and sensitive soul, and fireworks absolutely terrify her," Bella's owner Peter McCallum tells Newshub. "We try everything to minimise her distress and anxiety around Guy Fawkes, but as people let fireworks off throughout that first week of November, she's an absolute mess.
"It's awful to watch her experience so much fear and distress, and it's heart-breaking for our family."
The SPCA Wellington Centre published the video on Facebook, where they continued to push for a ban on the private sale of fireworks.
"Sometimes visuals speak louder than words," SPCA says.
"This video was taken on Guy Fawkes night, on Friday. THIS is why SPCA continues to call for a ban on the private sale and use of fireworks.
"They cause such unnecessary distress to our furry friends. Thank you for standing with us, we will continue to advocate for them."
SPCA Chief Executive Andrea Midgen says she's frustrated by the lack of action from lawmakers. Midgen urged Kiwis last week to attend public displays where possible, instead of purchasing and lighting their own.
"Many pet owners will know first-hand how distressing fireworks can be for their furry family members, or will have seen the devastating impact they can have on wild or farmed animals," says Midgen.
"No animal should needlessly suffer in the name of human entertainment, and it's so disappointing to see our Government turn a blind eye when there's such an easy solution right in front of them, which is banning the private sale and use of fireworks."
The SPCA aren't the only ones calling for a ban, with the Wellington Zoo also calling for the private sale of fireworks to be prohibited.
They're calling for a permanent ban, saying every year its animals are stressed and scared by them. Two years ago an antelope died after running into a fence.
Last week, Wellington Zoo welcomed a baby chimp into the world, the zoo's first in seven years.
The zoo was begging people not to let fireworks off on Guy Fawkes night last week as they worried for the safety of the chimp.
"A lot of animals just don't know what's going on and can spook easily," Wellington Zoo primates team leader Harmony Neal told Newshub last week.
