Diwali the festival of lights is here and as much as every one of us will want to light our homes and lives and rejoice the good times it is also important to spare a moment to think of the safety and comfort of our furry friends inside and outside our homes this time of the year
Dogs are extremely sensitive to loud noises like Firecrackers, Thunder and gunshots
A study by University of Bristol’s School of Veterinary Sciences in 2013 revealed that the most common reason for fearful behavior in dogs are Firecrackers
While our indoor pets will normally be frightened but the sounds, the extent of damage for our furry friends on the streets can be much more intensive and even fatal at times. Death and severe injuries to stray dogs are quite common after Diwali. Most of the times its because the stray dogs bite firecrackers or come in contact with live ones or at times step or lie down on crackers which burn their skin. In some cases, the loud sounds have also known to cause heart attacks.
Dogs generally will respond to the sounds by, trembling, shivering, hiding, Urinating, salivating, extreme anxiety and even getting destructive around the house.
Here are a few things that you can do to make it better for your best friends during this season
Say No to FireCrackers 💥💥 💥
Change starts with you, so if you are concerned not just about your furry companions but also about the ones on the streets then say no to the sounds and fire this year. Imagine if you do it and so do a few others then its so much lesser of pain, suffering and pollution not just for the animals but also for humans.
Despite your best efforts, you might not be able to convince the whole street to do this, so then here are a few more tips
Keep them indoors
Try and keep your dogs indoors for a day or two during these times of festivities. Avoid even the daily walks for a day or two. It’s not just the sounds but accidents like letting them step on burnt firecrackers or someone accidentally setting a cracker on fire and startling your dog who may just run away leaving you helpless.
Keep them in a different location
We advise this only if the place you leave them is completely free from the noise and other discomforts. The worse thing you can do is to take your dogs to a place where there is the same amount of sounds from crackers and you not being there to comfort them
Distract them
While at home and with all the crackers bursting around, provide a distraction to them like switching on the TV or playing a song. Turn up the volume to ensure the other sounds are muffled. Dogs normally read well to this distraction. Just ensure what you are playing on the music system or TV isn’t chaotic but ambient
Don’t force them out of Hiding
A dog’s normal response to such kind of events is going and find a hiding place, like under the Cot or behind the Sofa, please do not drag your pets out of their hiding places to teach them bravado. This can cause more harm than good. It’s their natural Flight or Fight response kicking in and since they aren’t able to identify the source of sound they prefer flight rather than fight. Having said this, please do not be relieved that your pet has found his own way to cope and let him hide without you being there. Check on him every 30 minutes to comfort him, tell him you are around. The worse thing for you to do is to see that the dog has hidden under the cot so you close and lock the bedroom room and come out.
Snuggles all the way
When pets come to you for comfort, hold them and care for them, do not give them over attention or squeeze them or cover their ears with your palms even if they are shivering. Hold them close and be absolutely calm. This is your way of showing them that it’s absolutely fine and that they have nothing to worry. Do not wrap them in blankets or forcefully put them inside enclosed spaces with the hopes of muffling the sounds, this has opposite effects.
Get them Company
This is a very good way to lessen their anxiety, have other pet parents bring their pets home or you can go to them. Dogs ( especially the one who are pack dogs ) are very comfortable around their folks and hence they tend to have reduced anxiety and also try to compose themselves or distract themselves while in packs
Medication
There are a lot of medications like Pheromones and melatonin which are available Over the counter for helping reduce anxiety in dogs arising form sounds, Separation or travel. We however strongly recommend a visit to your vet and ask him for some prescription medication to suit the occasion and your breed
Preventing their Escape
Most dogs, when confronted with such anxieties, will become super hyper and one of the things they do when they see their owners aren’t responsive is to take off. Ensure that you have the doors close and there is no way for them to run away. Also, ensure that they have proper identification ( lD Dog tags ) in case of an incident.
Don’t involve them in your feast
Who can say no to those puppy eyes when they come and beg you for that slice of homemade sweets. Don’t fall for that, Most sweets are very dangerous for dogs and any sudden change in diet can cause a lot of problems for them and the owners alike. It’s no different from a normal day for them. Stick to their normal diet regime and do not mix it up with human food especially those lip-smacking Sweets. No !!! It’s not okay even if its a tiny tiny bite of Jalebi or just one spoon of Kheer.
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If we are thinking so much about our furry friends indoors, then imagine the plight of those on the streets. A small deed on an auspicious day will go a long way in helping them be safe too
Give them a roof
During these times it will be of a great help if you can keep your doors, if not home at least your yard open for the strays to come and hide from the crackers. Most people don’t do this in the fear that these strays will make it a habit to come and stay here even after these days of festivities, trust us they won’t. Dogs are very territorial so the instances of adult stray dogs choosing a new place one fine day are very very rare. They will thank you with a few wags an be on their way once the place is safe.
Volunteer
During the day or two when the festivities are at the peak, it will be great if you can volunteer by taking an hour of the day to check for the comfort of our stray friends. Ensure none of them have been hurt, if anyone is then you could call a vet or if the injury isn’t severe you could help them yourself
Also, volunteer to remove the burnt crackers off the road and keep them clean to prevent accidents
Feed them
Most dogs will not eat during these times ( a natural selection between saving one’s life and satisfying one’s hunger), it will be great if you can spare some food and water for these unfortunate souls
Above all the golden rule “ what would you want in a situation like this “ and it’s not any different with dogs.
We at Pawedy wish you all a happy festive season ahead and also thank you in advance for doing all that is possible for keeping our furry friends in the homes and on the streets safe.
Originally published at www.pawedy.com on November 2, 2018.
