Shivering pets duck for cover

BANGALORE: Uttam Jaggu, a consultant working with a private firm in the city, and his wife Sindhoor Pangal packed their bags once again this Diwali. It was their customary three-day trip to a resort in Sakleshpur. With them went Nishi, 4, a Boxer, and Tigger, 1, an Indie. All the couple wanted was a peaceful Diwali for their pets.
Sindhoor says the family of four has been making this trip for the past three years."We had a horrible Diwali the year we got Nishi home. She was a couple of months old and was petrified by the sound of crackers. She stopped eating, would freeze and tremble. That's when we decided to celebrate the festival away from the city and the sound of crackers," she says.
It has yet another bloodcurdling festival for Charlie, 12, an Indie, and his friends. They shivered and barked wildly as crackers boomed for hours together. Sandhya Madappa, Charlie's parent, says although the family observes a peaceful festival, their dogs are disturbed by the crackers outside.
"We don't burst crackers but cannot stop our neighbours from doing so. Our seven dogs are scared and start trembling," says Sandhya, a resident of Sarjapur.
Silent Diwalis are increasingly getting popular among pet parents of the city. Not only are they giving up these festive joys, they are also going the extra mile to make their pets comfortable.
NM Pillappa, a resident of Teacher's Colony, switches on his television, fan and radio once the sound of crackers starts growing outside. "Chinnu, my German Shepherd aged 10, is very scared. The noise from outside cannot be shut out by the doors and walls. I switch on the television, radio and ceiling fan together to cut out the sound of crackers," says Pillappa.
Gopi Shankar says his pets have to undergo the ordeal every year. "We haven't burst crackers for almost 20 years, but most people do. I have three dogs and I can spot fear on their faces every Diwali. They howl, hide and stop eating. This year too, my dogs refused to eat for three days. It's only after the sound of crackers subsides late at night that we give them some food," says Gopi.
"It's cruel to subject animals to such loud sounds. Only noise-free crackers should be permitted, as in many other countries," says Soniya Sarathy, another pet parent who's having a hard time comforting Sasha, her one-year-old Saint Bernard.
Doctor talk
We've been getting 20-25 calls a day for the past four days. People call to find out ways to comfort scared animals. We get complaints of pets not eating, scared, hibernating and even escaping from homes.
Dr Pawan Kumar, vet surgeon, Cessna Veterinary Hospital, Indiranagar