Territory Day recognises the day the NT declared independence from the Commonwealth Government in 1978. Many Territorians celebrate this special occasion with their own fireworks display.

The flip side of these celebrations is scared and lost pets, damaged property and injuries caused by the irresponsible use of fireworks.

City of Darwin notice a significant increase in calls reporting lost pets on this day and pet dogs in particular become highly stressed by the noise of fireworks.

Owners are encouraged to take precautionary action to ensure safety and well-being of their pets. Some of our top tips to keep your pet safe on Territory Day include:

• Keep your pet inside while fireworks are going off
• Turn on the radio or television to provide background noise
• Ensure you boundary fence is secure and your pet can’t escape
• Make sure your pet is microchipped so it can quickly and easily be reunited with family.

For more information and tips on keeping your pets safe during fireworks please visit 'Great Pets Start with You'.

Keeping our open spaces, playgrounds and facilities safe and clean

In preparation for Territory Day, City of Darwin also take a number of measures to protect pets and community assets including:

• Rostering extra rangers to pick up animals at large
• Locking community tennis courts from 6:30pm on Territory Day to 6:00am the following morning
• Overwatering synthetic cricket wickets to minimise the risk of damage
• Locking the gates to East Point at 5pm on Territory Day
• Providing additional skip bins in key areas for people to dispose of used fireworks

Help us look after our open spaces, playgrounds and sporting facilities by:

• Being mindful of where you let off fireworks
• Binning your used fireworks at the end of the night

If you do lose your pet on Territory night or need to report an issue call City of Darwin on 8930 0600 during business hours or 8989 2843 between 5pm and 8am.