Dog Picking Up Lit Firework Sparks Fury After Video Goes Viral

Footage of a dog picking up lit fireworks and shaking them around before they explode has sparked anger and astonishment online.

A video of the canine picking up the pyrotechnics was shared to Twitter by buddyescobar. It has already been viewed 5.6 million times, racking up over 40,000 retweets and 293,000 likes in the process.

According to his bio, buddyescobar is based in Oklahoma. It is not yet clear whether the dog or people in the video are associated with the Twitter user.

Newsweek has contacted buddyescobar for comment.

One thing that was unequivocal, however, was the alarming nature of what played out in the clip. When it comes to dogs and fireworks, the American Kennel Club strongly advises against exposing your canine to explosives of this kind.

"Never take your dog to a firework display, even if your dog does not bark or whimper, don't assume they're happy," they warn. "Excessive yawning and panting can indicate that your dog is stressed. Also, never tie your dog up outside while fireworks are being let off."

However, the viral clip highlighted an altogether different danger posed by keeping pets in close proximity when using pyrotechnics. In the video, a man is seen lighting the fireworks before gently jogging away. Almost simultaneously, however, a dog apparently called "Cha Cha" comes into view, making an immediate beeline for the lit explosives.

Though the dog's owners can be heard calling the canine to come away from the incendiaries, the canine ignores those pleas, opting instead to pick the firework up in its mouth. Shaking the device from left to right in its jaws, the dog is lucky to escape injury as the firework begins firing off in every direction.

The pet's human companions are similarly fortunate too, with lit embers from the fireworks cascading over them while they scream in panic. One part of the firework appears to explode right next to the group, prompting the person filming the clip to shout "oh my god!"

"Dog tried to air us out," the caption accompanying the tweet reads.

But while the people in the video appear to be taking the whole thing quite lightly, the footage prompted an altogether different reaction on social media. "The lack of panic here is indicative of irresponsibility," cornerstcre wrote. "Fireworks are known to blow off body parts and your dog is sticking its face in one, someone somewhere should've done more than the nothing they did here."

Magoo72810763 said: "It's disgusting that the fact that this dog may get injured trying to put out what he's thinking is harmful. Maybe he thinks it's a toy but it's still not funny." LaurenOHellNo added: "The owner's lack of urgency makes me so angry. They just causally watched their dog grab an active firework... I would have gone after my dog so quick."

GSWDGoldz did offer some form of defense, responding: "It was very fast and people aren't gonna run towards an active firework... people aren't perfect." Neby_nebs agreed, writing: "What are you supposed to do in the 0.5 seconds while its lit before it's shot everywhere? I'm not trying to say we shouldn't care but I swear it's easier to pretend to be superman when you see it on the internet."

For others like Only1Melo, there was no excuse. "You don't deserve dogs or fireworks," they wrote.