Pet-Friendly Diwali: Tips to ensure your furry friends stay safe and calm

Diwali is the time to rejoice and bask in the glory of festivities for all of us. There is happiness and joy lurking in every corner of the house and our surroundings. With glittering lights adorning our homes and a variety of delicacies spread out on the dining table, this festival marks the advent of the most auspicious time of the year.

But unfortunately the celebratory sounds of crackers and flickering lights turns out to be a source of misery, anxiety, sadness and usually a traumatic experience for our beloved pets.

Dr Dheeraj Bhardwaj, Veterinarian at Apollo Vets, Dwarka suggests that pet parents should close the doors and windows of the house and use toys to distract the pets when there are loud cracker sounds outside. “Parents can also use calming supplements like anti-anxiety pills and hemp oil products to relax their pets. Though these are always optional”.

So is there any difference in the way small or large breeds of dogs get affected during Diwali?

“Not so much. The hearing power of all dogs is six or seven times more than humans. Hence the cracker sound gets highly amplified for them. It is therefore advised to take similar care for dogs of all sizes. The vet also advises to avoid taking your dog out for daily walks during early mornings or late evenings around festival time to keep them away from harmful air pollution.

How to look after the dogs that are already suffering from chronic diseases like asthma, seizures or epilepsy?
“Pet parents have to definitely take special care of their sick pets during this season. If your pet is suffering from long lying diseases, he/she is most prone to ill side effects like anorexia (total disinterest in food), hence it is recommended to keep them hydrated all the time. Keep an attentive watch on the water intake of your pets during this time”, explains Dr Bhardwaj.

He also said that many pets come to him with severe cases of gastroenteritis after Diwali. “This is because pet owners feed them with sweets and other sugary items out of love and affection which is completely prohibited. Sugar is the worst toxin you can ever offer your pet and owners should understand this specifically, adds Dr Bhardwaj.

For pet lovers like Ahana Shahi, student of class VIII at Apeejay, Panchsheel Park the biggest challenge lies in the insensitive attitude of people. “I have four pets at home, three parakeets and one pup. Even after the government ban on crackers, people fail to follow it. They will burst loud crackers simply for a few minutes of amusement but won’t realise the harmful long term consequences it has over my pets. The plight of street stray dogs during Diwali time is even worse and it gets disheartening to see their sufferings”, she retorted.

Maninder Kaur, teacher at Apeejay, Model Town opines that celebrating eco-friendly Diwali is the need of the hour. “The real struggle lies in comforting my two dogs. One of my dogs gets extremely terrified of the loud sounds and becomes a recluse. He gives up on food and daily walks. It is only after making several extra efforts like constant petting, talking and keeping them close does my dog resume his normal behaviour,” she said.

In fact, Diwali is a great time to train your pets to follow certain commands and behaviours by conditioning them using treat and toy rewards at home. This way your pet shall learn something new and steer clear of agony of pernicious sounds and air pollution.