Diwali is an important festival of our country and is celebrated by lighting lamps and having great firework. Dr. Kirti Dua, Incharge, Centre for wild life studies and Professor Veterinary Medicine, GADVASU, Ludhiana informed that the pets have stronger hearing powers than human beings which makes them vulnerable to fear and anxiety during the Diwali fireworks. They may manifest signs like shaking, trembling, excessive drooling, barking, howling, trying to hide or get into / out of the house, or other enclosure, refusing to eat food. Some animals may lose bladder or bowel control or experience temporary diarrhea. Due to anxiety, animals and birds they may become disoriented and start running or flying around aimlessly. In this process they may get injure or die.
He advised that during the fireworks on Diwali, keep the animal indoors and avoid them from too much of smoke of crackers, which may cause severe respiratory distress. To make the pets feel safe and comfortable in the house, close the curtains and leave the radio or TV on to mask the sound of crackers outside. Some old clothes with your scent on them can also be kept near the pet. Try to walk and feed your pets during the daytime, before the celebrations begin .A tired and well fed dog will be far less anxious during the night. Festive food can be unhealthy and even dangerous for your pets. Keep away the sweets, puja materials, diyas and candles out of the reach of your dog. He emphasized not to keep crackers near your dog because your dog will most likely sniff or lick cracker materials which can then cause toxicity problems. Avoid venture near places where people are lighting or have already burst firecrackers. If the dog runs for its bed, a cupboard or under the bed, leave it there and allow it to follow its natural instinct. Do not soothe and comfort a scared dog, it will only increase the problem. If you have a nervous dog, or a very old pet or a pet with a heart problem, talk to your veterinarian before the Diwali begins.
After the fireworks, let him have free run of the house to see how he behaves. Before letting your pets back outside, do a yard sweep properly, collect any sparklers, firecrackers, etc., as well as party items and broken objects. Many puppies get crushed under the wheels of the cars on the night of Diwali when they try to escape from the noise of the firecrackers Sometimes mischievous boys tie the crackers a to the tails of street dogs or burn them by burning crackers thrown at them. Some get serious injuries and require prompt attention. For the stray dogs, it will be nice if you can keep a bowl of water and food for these poor creatures at a convenient place. Do not let anyone throw lit crackers at them and help them with any kind of emergencies. In case of any emergency the services of GADVASU Vet hospital can be sought. The helpline number is 0161-2414010.
He also threw light for the well being of the birds. Dr. Dua informed that many a times people prefer to light firecrackers in open spaces near trees, so birds fly away and keep hovering in the sky. They soon get lost and can't find the way back to their nest. Fire crackers have always proved disastrous for the biodiversity, particularly birds. Environmentalists and activists also fear that fireworks leave many animals and birds injured or mutilated The noise makes the birds fly from their shelters in the night and many land in an alien place, resulting in serious injuries to them Subsequently, if the birds do not return to their nests, their young ones are affected, resulting in their deaths. Let us take the pledge to enjoy noise free and environmental friendly Diwali for all creatures great and small.
