BENGALURU: Despite the state government’s directive to burst green crackers within a window of 8pm to 10pm to celebrate Deepavali, Bengaluru has witnessed bursting of illegal firecrackers beyond the prescribed time limit. So severe has the sound of firecrackers been that a stray dog in Kannamangala jumped to her death from a high floor of a 14-storey building.
“The dog was eight months old, and I was habilitating her at the building (currently under construction) with the help of one of the security guards. She must have been sleeping when firecrackers made her jump to her death on the night of Friday (November 6). We found her body on Saturday morning. She had been safely living at the building without a problem,” said a community feeder living in the area.
Dogs are known to be around four times more sensitive to sound than humans. A study by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) found that in case of loud sounds, this sensitivity triggers acute fear in dogs. Every firecracker blast, to a dog, is nothing short of a grenade going off.
Their reaction is often fear, confusion, agitation, or even aggression. In India, a cracker can legally be as loud as 125 decibels. Even this legal limit would cause such an effect on dogs.
The feeder said that another dog, a pet, ran away when the family took it on a walk in Kannamangala. “Firecrackers were burst suddenly, which spooked the dog to run away from the walker. The family is inconsolable,” she added.
Govt’s order on crackers only on paper: Activists
“The situation is worsening every year. The state government order is just on paper, while bursting of firecrackers is going on without a break. With not even a small window of silence, feeding dogs is difficult, and they cannot even hide anywhere,” said Sadhana Hegde, founder of Sahavarthin Animal Welfare Trust.
Bengaluru North City Corporation’s Chief Veterinary Officer Dr HK Gangadharaiah said their shelter is isolated from human settlements and there has been no interference so far.
Many people are also seeking help from local law enforcement to get respite from incessant bursting of crackers. “Some young men in my neighbourhood started bursting crackers around 11.45 pm on Saturday, as if they were waiting for everyone to fall asleep.
After an hour of this, I dialled 112, and before the Hoysala police officer arrived, they left,” said a resident of Koramangala 4th Block.
