Diwali is considered to be the brightest festival in India – a time when houses are lit up with colourful lights and diyas, and hearts are lit up with gladness and joy. The fragrance of fresh flowers and the tempting aroma of sweets fill up the air, and people dress in their best traditional attires, as the country joyously celebrates the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya.
While it is a time of celebration for people, the same thing cannot be said for the animals living around us, pets or strays. It is very upsetting for stray animals and pets to hear the sounds of crackers bursting and bombs going off. The loud noises make them tremble with fear and they run around in great distress looking for a safe place to hide. This is especially true in the case of street dogs. Some even become hard of hearing, making them more agitated and aggressive.
Indian Masterminds spoke with IFS officer Niveditha Bojarajan, who is not only an animal lover but also a rescuer and has been taking care of over 60 dogs in her animal shelter for quite some time now, to understand the impact that Diwali has on stray animals and how she celebrated Diwali with her fur babies this year.
Read Ms. Bojarajan’s dog rescue story here: An IFS Officer Who’s A Dog Rescuer
GREEN DIWALI IN HACHI AND HACHI HOMES
Currently posted as the Conservator of forests, West circle, Hisar, Haryana, Ms. Bojarajan witnessed a terrible incident involving a stray puppy a few years ago, which awakened her love and sympathies for the strays. Her love for animals convinced her to open an animal shelter where she keeps, feeds, plays with, and provides immense love to the stray dogs she rescued from the streets.
While Diwali can be a festival filled with fun for us, it is definitely not a happy occasion for our furry friends. It has been found that loud crackers make stray dogs and pets frightened and nervous. Dogs are particularly sensitive, and because they have better hearing, they are more easily affected by loud noises during this time.
Talking about how she tried to keep her animals safe during Diwali, Ms. Bojarajan told Indian Masterminds, “It was a green Diwali for us. Crackers are a big no in the shelter. The shelter is adjoining a village. All I could do was request the villagers to not burn crackers. That way people in villages are more sensitive towards this issue. I am glad that they accepted my request and hardly anyone near my shelter burnt crackers, this Diwali.”
HOW TO PROTECT ANIMALS FROM LOUD NOISES
Animals become worried and agitated when their environment suddenly changes with loud noises and fireworks. Whining, scared, loss of appetite, salivation, and defecation inside the house are a few possible indications of stress. Many pets even attempt to flee, which explains why the majority of dogs and cats go missing during this festival season.
“Fear sets in their mind. They go and hide beneath cars and beds. They stop eating. Sometimes the leftover papers of the crackers are also toxic if ingested. We really need to take care of little things like looking under our cars before driving off, because there are high chances that a stray dog or cat might be taking shelter under cars,” said the officer.
She further said that it is necessary to mask the loud firecracker sounds as much as possible. One should keep their windows shut and curtains drawn to minimise sounds and flashes from fireworks.
“I had to keep small Bluetooth speakers to play some bhajans and songs so that the sudden noise of crackers can be masked. I’d recommend you stay at home with your pets. Keep your dogs distracted by playing with them or giving them their favourite treats,” she said.
The effects on stray animals are even greater, sometimes with dire consequences. Ms. Bojarajan said, “I cannot even begin to explain how much festival season affects our little fur buddies. Because the impact is so large, there are unimaginable consequences on the life of stray animals. We should keep that in mind at all times and sympathise with our street animals.”
And the only way to do it is to desist from bursting crackers near them to try and keep them safe from the loud noises and fireworks that are the hallmarks of this festival. One might even consider opting for a green Diwali, like the officer did, to protect the environment as a whole.
