Keep your pets safe and stress-free this Deepavali

Deepavali is one of the happiest times of the year, but for animals, it is among the most anxious, thanks to firecrackers. While every year there are several awareness drives that encourage people to celebrate the festival of lights as just that — with lights and not firecrackers, they have, unfortunately, become an integral part of the festivities. But there are some steps that you can take to ensure you reduce the stress your furry friend feels this time of the year. Alokparna Sengupta, deputy director, Humane Society of India, lists some measures:
Tag them
Keep your pets indoor. Also, collar or name tag them to be prepared for any emergency.

Shut it
Keep all windows and doors shut. This will reduce the amount of sound that enters your house. It will also keep all the smoke out. Ensure that all the windows are shut when you leave home, so that no firecrackers make their way into your home.

Drown out the sound
When the bursting of firecrackers begins, turn on the TV or put on some soothing music. This will help drown out the outside noise.

Time their walk right
Ensure that you take your pet for a walk before the bursting of firecrackers begins. Many people tend to take their pets for a walk after everything dies down, but this is not safe, since there is a lot of smoke around.

Think about streeties
Since street animals don’t have a home to hide in, have some sort of a shelter for them. Keep bowls of water for them, and let them into your apartment building so that they have space to hide. If they are hiding under cars, let them be.

First aid
If you see any animal that has sustained injuries, immediately rush them to emergency vet clinics to get them treated.

Watch what you burst
If you must (and we hope you don’t), burst firecrackers that are not very loud and don’t emit too much smoke. Also, ensure that there are no animals around when you are bursting crackers.
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