Bengaluru dogs flee amid Deepawali fireworks, nearly a 100 reported missing: Report

Bengaluru's Deepawali fireworks caused panic among dogs, leading to nearly a hundred missing cases reported.

As Bengaluru’s skyline glittered with Diwali fireworks, the city’s dogs, both pets and strays, faced nights of panic. The deafening explosions that filled the air for three days drove many animals to flee in terror, leaving families and animal rescuers desperately searching to bring them home.

There are some positive outcomes, including a decline in reports of animal cruelty from fireworks this year in Bengaluru. (HT FILE PHOTO)

According to a representative of United for Compassion, nearly a hundred missing dog cases were reported over four days through Voice for Our Voiceless, a community of animal lovers on WhatsApp, said a report by The Times of India. People often don’t realize how traumatic the noise is for animals, Koundinya said. Frightened dogs run long distances, often across traffic and unknown territories, and they get attacked by other dogs or struggle to find food and shelter, he added.

For a pet owner in Rajajinagar, the celebrations turned heart-breaking when his Golden Retriever disappeared on Wednesday evening. He and his family have reportedly been searching for their furry friend day and night. Every message or call brings a bit of hope that someone has seen her, he said, as per the publication.

But there have been small victories too. A resident of Banashankari managed to reunite a lost Labrador with its family after spotting it near her house, the report said.

Encouragingly, reports of deliberate cruelty toward animals, such as tying or throwing fireworks, appear to have declined this year. Koundinya noted that he saw several such cases last year, but none so far this year.

In yet another victory, the Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA) trauma centre told the publication that no cracker-related injuries were reported as of Thursday.