I’ve never liked loud and noisy crackers, what with friends who locked themselves in because they were terrified and grandparents who were startled awake by the sounds and couldn’t go back to sleep. But it wasn’t till I got a dog of my own — this is going to be his second Diwali — that I became vehemently opposed to firecrackers. Here are some things that happen on and around Diwali when you become a pet’s human:

♦ Your first post on Facebook for Diwali is never the simple “Have a happy and prosperous Diwali”. It will definitely include a plea to the world in general to bear in mind that the loud noise of firecrackers scares animals and that no prosperity can come from hurting them.
♦ You are suddenly extra vigilant while you walk in and out of your para to make sure that the strays are not being tortured by guys who think it is fun to tie crackers to the dogs’ tails and watch them run.
♦ You lose a lot of friends on Facebook whose statuses encourage people to burst as many noisy crackers as they can and make it a point to do it right under the houses of those who protest. Let them know you are unfriending them and why, else it beats the point.
♦ Your house, which used to be the Diwali party den, becomes a no-noisy-cracker zone. If phuljharis, chakris and anars (nope rockets are not allowed) are enough then they are most welcome, provided they wash their hands before they pet your dog/cat.
♦ You make sure you get home from work early so that you can be with your little one before the fireworks really start.
♦ Whether you buy something on Diwali for yourself or not, you make sure you buy some new toys for your pet so that he will be distracted from all the noise.
♦ You try and keep you garage door open so the strays outside can come in and find shelter while the humans outside go berserk.
♦ You feel every single sound twice as much when you see your little one startle, shiver or just plain start barking like crazy.
♦ You become maniacal about cleaning up the terrace the morning after, because you don’t want your pet to sniff, lick, eat any of the firecracker residue.
♦ You also go knocking on the doors of the neighbours to request them to use buckets to dispose of the firecrackers and not litter the ground outside their houses because the para dogs might get poisoned if they accidentally eat something.

Chandreyee Chatterjee

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DIWALI TIPS FOR YOUR TERRIFIED PET

 

Here’s what you should do: 
♦ Take your dog for a long walk during the day before the fireworks start going off. Keep your dog inside when the  fireworks are on. 
♦ Keep windows shut and curtains drawn to mask sounds and flashes from fireworks.
♦ Turn up the volume of the television or radio to help drown out the sound of fireworks.
♦ Keep your dog distracted by playing with him or giving treats.
♦ Do not comfort your dog if it is scared as this may actually reinforce the behaviour. Behave as if there is nothing at all to be afraid of and reward your dog when he is calm. Do not punish in any way for being afraid.

How to desensitise your dog to Diwali crackers so that he can cope better the next time: 
♦ Play recordings of firework sounds in the house at such a low volume that you can barely hear them. Give your dog his favourite toy to play with while the recording is playing or play it while he’s eating. 
♦ As long as your dog shows no negative reactions you can very gradually increase the volume over progressive sessions. With time your dog should stop associating the sounds with something scary and will begin to associate them with pleasant experiences such as eating or playing. 

Tips from Mars India, the food company that owns Royal Canin

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BARKING UP THE RIGHT TREE

Swastika Mukherjee is mother to four-month-old Dachshund Bullet and five-month-old stray Phulki, who she recently rescued. “My neighbourhood is already noisy with crackers and I’m dreading Diwali. Phulki is trembling all the time, so I can’t imagine what will happen on the day of Kali Puja. People have already told me that they’re not going to curb their celebrations for animals... that’s how cruel humans are! I’d like to urge anyone who has a garage or something to usher the street dogs inside,” said the actress.

Sneha Singhi, mommy to eight-month-old Siberian Husky, Zeus. “Zeus is pretty scared of loud noises — he tries to hide under tables or he frantically starts looking for me. I give him cold water and I keep holding him, even though he hates being cuddled. I also give him some treats, just to distract him. After Diwali I see a lots of the strays around my area with burn marks or scars, and really bad rashes. I get my vet to see them, and I’m going to do that this year again. I don’t burst loud crackers myself and I urge my friends not to as well. This year I’m trying to look for a hiding spot for most of the strays around my house,” said the young proprietor of Paris Cafe.

Urvika Kanoi’s babies are Scooby and Theo (left) who are seven and two respectively. “My dogs are so terrified of loud sounds that a thud has them running with their tails between their legs! We only celebrate Diwali with tubri and phuljhari and we keep them in a closed room with the TV on to minimise the sounds from outside. One of us always stays with them to comfort them. A celebration for us shouldn’t be a nightmare for them,” said the proprietor of Bodega and The Food Studio.

Text: Ramona Sen

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T2 GOES DIWALI SHOPPING FOR ITS BEST FRIENDS