Diwali: A festival of lights for humans,but 'distressing for animals'

Sowmya Raju | NT

Bengaluru: Diwali is a festival of lights that is right around the corner, but it can be a stressful time for animals. The loud noises and bright lights of firecrackers can frighten and disorient them.

Animals have much more sensitive hearing than humans, and sudden loud noises can cause them severe distress. The smoke and fumes from firecrackers can also be harmful to animals' health.

There is a growing body of data on how animals are affected during Diwali. A study by the Animal Welfare Board of India found that the number of animal cruelty cases reported to the board increased significantly during Diwali.

A parent of two dogs in Bengaluru Adarsh says, “I have never seen the fun aspect of noise and blast, even when I was a kid.”

He added, “Even as an adult human, crackers, especially these loud bombs come as a shock wave, how do you think animals feel.”

Several pet parents share the same opinion as Adarsh and suggest that if one must burst firecrackers, do so in a safe area away from animals. Choose the quietest crackers possible and avoid bursting them in enclosed spaces.

Several Resident Welfare Associations in the city, where multiple pet parents and complexes are pet-friendly have allocated places where people can celebrate the festival by bursting crackers and pet parents have been advised to close all windows and doors to reduce the noise from outside and provide their pets with a quiet place to hide, such as a crate or under a bed.

Diwali can be a traumatising experience for pets. Another study, conducted by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), found that 55% of pet owners in India reported that their pets were stressed or scared during Diwali.

The most common injuries reported in animals during Diwali are burns, hearing loss, and respiratory problems. Animals can also be traumatised by the loud noises and bright lights of firecrackers.

Animals have much more sensitive hearing than humans, and exposure to loud noises can damage their hearing. Adarsh suggests, “If your pet is panting, hiding, or trembling, it is likely stressed. Take steps to comfort them and reduce their exposure to the noise.”

Sharing his personal experience he added that his previous golden retriever would tear up every Diwali because of fear caused by sudden noises which was a painful sight.

He added, “ I have also heard from multiple people that these bombs and loud sounds even send dogs and cats into seizures. Since some pet parents are unaware, the pets pass away after some time.”

Kiran Kumar, a member of the resident welfare association in Yeswanthpur said they have taken several measures such as following the government orders and allocating space to burst crackers, and added, “This not only will protect residents but also their pets from noise decibel. However, what we are ignoring is unfortunately street dogs.”

The government has already mandated the burst of crackers between 8 pm and 10 pm. If the authorities enforce this strictly, probably the damage will be less, he stated.

R Rajagopalan, the president of the JP Nagar RWA said, “We have implemented every order by the SC and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) in our association.”

(If your pet or any stray animal is showing any signs of stress or fear, contact the Karnataka Animal Welfare Board at 8277 100 200 or Charlie's Animal Rescue Centre (CARE) at 9483911110 / 9035999372)