Although the Delhi government has banned the sale and use of firecrackers, there have been reports of these being traded illegally in various city markets. Apart from contributing to the air pollution crisis, the use of firecrackers during this time is a nightmare for pets across the city.
A few pet owners give inputs on the measures they take to manage their pets on Diwali.
Keep them calm
Samridhi Yadav (20) from Geeta Colony, the proud parent of a three-and-a-half-year-old German Shepherd named Caesar, mentions that her otherwise calm dog tends to get agitated during Diwali.
Similarly, Surya Sadasivan (36) from Vasant Kunj, who adopted Shai nine months ago, speaks about her experience with her first dog Pluto. "Dogs are sensitive to the loud sounds of fireworks. Pluto would often hide under the sofa and constantly whine," she says.
Surya further adds how taking her dog on walks is inconvenient given there is a chance of crackers being burst on the streets. However, dogs are not the only pets affected during Diwali. Zeena Chakma (27) from Gurugram says that her two-year-old pet cat Davi gets equally stressed.
"She is timid and the loud sounds of crackers would make her hide under the bed or in other corners of the house," she says. It is best to keep a close watch on your pets today.
While all the pet owners mention they keep doors and windows closed to reduce impact, Surya adds that she would take Pluto on long walks during the day to tire her out. In the evening, she would play soothing music and use cotton plugs to cut out the noise. Surya plans to use similar tactics to calm Shai this year.
A close watch
Sourav Nayyar (40), along with his wife Dimple Nayyar, runs an aviary called Whistling Wings in Faridabad. He mentions that for birds, pollution caused by crackers has an impact on their behaviour and sensory organs, and at times even kills them.
"Simple things like the smell of perfume affects them and can even lead to a life risk. During Diwali, getting exposed to this kind of air pollution, at times, leads to a bird’s death," he says.
Thus, Whistling Wings has taken serious precautions to prevent as much noise and fumes from entering the aviary by covering the area where the birds nest. Sourav adds how the small birds, which are more sensitive, are taken inside the house where they can be better observed.
Although each Diwali is a task for pet owners, a slow change is now visible. Many people have consciously started letting in strays. Moreover, we hope citizens adhere to the government ban and not burst crackers this year to keep the pets and environment safe.
Helpful hints
Manu Mishra, from Dr Paw Veterinary Clinic in GK-I says that during this time, it's best to keep pets safe and inside the house. He points out that this should be applicable to both pets and strays in the vicinity. Along with this, playing relaxing music and giving your pets Ayurvedic medicines (after consulting a vet) is also a plus.