Pet parents take guard against noise demon

Kolkata: Pet parents and animal lovers have charted out various measures to protect their furry friends while bracing for a surge in cracker noise during Diwali celebrations. To protect the animals from the onslaught of sound crackers, pet parents have started suspending their evening outings and are engaging them in different indoor activities. They are also urging their neighbours to celebrate the festival in a "responsible" manner, ensuring that strays roaming around do not get hurt.Pet enthusiast Sourav Bose, a resident of Southern Avenue, is making separate arrangements for his dog and bird this year. "I am not taking my dog out for a stroll now because crackers are being burst in the streets and this may increase from Wednesday. Though it is difficult to filter the sound of crackers, we keep the doors and windows shut, increase the volume of the TV and play loud music to distract our pets."For his grey parrot, he is taking a water-soluble formula called parrot calming formula. "Keeping birds on the balcony is dangerous as fireworks can harm them. So, I am keeping my pet bird inside the room and using an air purifier so that it does not feel any discomfort. Air purifiers help in filtering polluting particles that can make a bird sick. Proper ventilation is equally important when kept indoors."Animal hospitals are also going sound-proof to help their "patients" beat the cracker menace. For instance, Sushmita Roy, founder of Love n Care for Animal, an NGO that runs a veterinary hospital near Taratala, said: "We have installed glasses to filter cracker sound that terrorise animals, especially dogs. Last year, we rescued around 10 strays injured by crackers and in most cases, it was found that revellers hurt the animals deliberately. Our teams have started moving around the city to keep tabs on this. We also made preparations for the treatment of the street dogs requiring burn treatment."Kasak Chandirani, a resident of Entally, is making a Diwali-friendly environment at home for her pet dog Casper. "Cracker sound triggers panic and trauma in dogs. They refuse to eat and fall sick. So, I will keep all doors and windows shut and we will not let him move around alone in an open space during Diwali."Another pet parent Murakshi Dhar, a resident of Parnashree, will not take out her pet dog Mini for evening strolls until the cracker demon leaves the city. "I made adequate arrangements for it. I am keeping Mini in a room and it is filled with cushions and toys. I will play loud music to offset the sound of crackers."