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Animal activists call for a stray-friendly Diwali
Animal rights activists are raising awareness about the impact of loud firecrackers and music on pets and strays during Diwali season. They have released guidelines to ensure animal safety, including demarcating a space away from dogs' territories to burn firecrackers and providing clean water away from the fireworks. Stray dogs often suffer severe trauma from loud noises and can sustain burn injuries. It is illegal to purposefully harm stray animals in India. The Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden in Lucknow has also urged residents to be mindful of zoo animals during Diwali celebrations.
With Diwali season underway, animal rights activists are busy spreading awareness about how loud firecrackers and music impact pets and strays.
The animal rights NGO partner of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation, Humane Society International, which usually oversees the overall health and sterilisation programme for strays, has released a list of dos and don’ts to ensure animal safety on Diwali and other festivals around it.
The list includes demarcating a space away from street dogs’ territories to burn firecrackers, which may disturb them due to their sensitive hearing; keeping a bowl of clean water at places away from firecrackers as inhaling the smoke might dehydrate them; ensuring that the areas where firecrackers are burned are thoroughly cleaned and allowing pregnant dogs and puppies to take shelter in safe areas of one’s home if possible.
Stray dogs suffer severe trauma from the violently loud noises that come from fireworks, said Vishakha Shukla, the founder of dog rescue shelter Nawabi Tails in Lucknow. She also recalled several cases where dogs sustained severe burn injuries from fireworks. Several cases of dogs dying, pets running away from home and getting seriously injured and traumatised have been reported over the years.
It is illegal to cause purposeful harm to stray animals according to the Indian Penal Code, and scaring or chasing street dogs with fireworks is frowned upon as well.
BOX Celebrate Diwali responsibly: Zoo
A day before Diwali, Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden in Lucknow urged residents in its nearby localities to be mindful of the zoo animals while celebrating the festival. People were asked not to light fireworks that explode in the sky and make high-decibel noises. The zoo officials went from door to door delivering the message themselves.
