It's dark times for animals & birds during and after Diwali

This is my first post here and I am wondering what to write. It’s not that I don’t have choices, believe me there's plenty and that’s exactly my dilemma. To choose is to give priority; I know it is good to prioritize but when it comes to pets and animals I guess every issue, every fact and every story enjoys high priority! It is like there’s so much to share, to start, to sustain, and to achieve but there is so little time left!

Starting today, my posts here will focus more on what you and I can do to make a change in our lives, in our pets’ lives and for all our animal-friends around us! I will also share some interesting news about animals and animal welfare that I read! My first attempt will be a series of posts on pet care during and after festive seasons. I know this should have come early before Diwali time but for practical reasons I couldn’t do it! I think I’d still do it for two reasons: One, there are a couple of festivals coming up and during these days there should be special pet care particularly when crackers are burst! Two, I still hear about the tough times the pet animals and birds go through even weeks after Diwali. So, here it is the first in the series of pet care during festive seasons.

Diwali is over, but…
Diwali celebrations are over, there are no crackers, there is less pollution but the ordeal of pet animals and birds is far from over! I still hear many stories from some of my animal-loving friends about how their pets are still petrified even 10 days after Diwali! But I fail to understand the ‘logic’ of some of my friends who go to their friends’ houses where there are no pets to burst crackers on Diwali day! I really cannot understand this! There may be no pet animals in their friends’ houses, fine! But what about the rest of the families living there? They might have pet animals! These so-called animal lovers do not want their pet animals to be scared of crackers sound so they go off to another place but what they fail to understand is that every street in every city has a good population of stray dogs’ and by bursting crackers they turn the lives of these tiny little cute friends into hell!

I personally stopped bursting crackers! For me I just don’t see any point in celebrations that give you thrill but at the same time put everything and everyone else around you into trouble! But some of my friends still don’t understand the logic behind this! They can’t imagine a Diwali without crackers!! And for those who cannot separate Diwali and crackers I share with them this beautiful piece of news that I read in one of the newspapers.

The residents of a tiny area near Sivaganga district, 90 kms from Sivakasi, the crackers capital of India, celebrate Diwali in a unique way. For over 30 years now, the 500 families in the two villages of Kollukudipatti and Vedankudipatti celebrate Diwali by wearing new clothes, distribute sweets but they don’t burst crackers at all! I was pleasantly surprised when I found the reason for this. They fear that the crackers sound will scare off the exotic birds that come from far off countries like Siberia, Russia and the Europe to nest in the Vedankudi bird sanctuary that is situated very close to their villages. Even shops in these villages do not sell crackers! And the children in these villages are so understanding and concerned about the exotic birds and their chicks that they follow this rule to not to burst crackers even during Diwali! How sweet of them!!

Every festive season and Diwali in particular when crackers are burst turns out to be a nightmare for not only the old and sick people but equally for animals and birds! The sound of crackers leaves the animals and birds in a state of shock! Pet cats and dogs just don’t move out of the house, they hide beneath the beds or wherever they think will be a safe place for them. The worst thing is that even after a few weeks after Diwali some pets refuse to get back to their normal routine. They are in a psychological shock, their food pattern is disturbed and they quiver in fear! Even the auto horns that they were used to before now scare them!

One of my friends give pet tablets during Diwali and other such occasions so that her pet cat could de-stress, feel safe and calm amidst the sound of crackers! But I guess it is not the right thing to do! Animal behaviorists and vets say it is always better to leave the pet animals in their favorite zones in the house and check upon them regularly. Never leave your pets in a closed room; make sure someone is there by their side to comfort them. They are just like your babies and they need care. Just your small pats would do them a world of good! It’s a kind of reassurance that everything is going on fine and you are always there for them! Shut the doors and windows to reduce the noise levels! But if you are still concerned you could use cotton ear-plugs which are relatively a safer option for your pets.

Animals can be conditioned right from their childhood days to the varying decibels of sounds with the help of animal behaviorists. One of my friends plays his cat’s favorite music when there is the sound of crackers, dims the lights in the room and ensures that he is safe. Animals when they are under stress do not take food and the key is not to force them during such situations. Do not scold them for their odd behavior during these situations, all they need is your understanding and extra care.

Managing stress levels is important and if your pet dog shows increasing stress levels it is important to seek an expert’s help in dealing with it. Some of the symptoms of stress could be trembling, non-stop barking, and shivering and there are harmless herbal/homeopathic medicines/Bach flower remedies available for this.

I end this post with this request: Please do not burst crackers; it might thrill you but remember it might kill the environment, and our canine friends around us. There are many reasons why you shouldn't burst crackers: one, you are encouraging child labor as many children are employed at crackers making industries, two, you are harming the environment, noise pollution and air pollution touch the peaks during festive seasons and three, your thrill might kill the animals and birds around you. Just one of these reasons is enough to stay away from crackers. Teach yourself and your kids to be responsible to protect everything around us.