Early-morning fireworks incident alarms horse owner, footage shows

Video: Night-vision CCTV footage from a Ōtaki property showing a fenced paddock where fireworks were reportedly discharged in the early morning. (Supplied / Shiree Palmer)

A horse owner from Ōtaki posted to social media saying they were woken in the early hours of the morning after fireworks were fired into their paddock early November. This footage prompted renewed community frustration over the risks posed to livestock.

A video posted to a local community page shows fireworks igniting near a fenced paddock at about 3.40am on a Bennetts Road property. The owner said the noise was “absolutely terrifying” for their horses and noted that an adjacent paddock housed alpacas.

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The footage, captured on night-vision CCTV, shows flashes of light from the fireworks against the outline of fencing and paddock infrastructure.

The post drew dozens of comments from local residents expressing anger and disbelief. Many described the behaviour as reckless.

Some commenters noted the long-standing tension between rural animal safety and irresponsible use of fireworks, particularly when incidents occur after peak Guy Fawkes activity.

Police received the footage from multiple cameras and audio recordings of people nearby discussing scaring the animals.

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