And fireworks.

But while we remain blissfully unaware of the consequences of our actions, there are some beings that suffer the most during this time.

Dogs. Pet dogs. Stray dogs. All kinds of dogs.

As a pet-parent, I absolutely detest the idea of fireworks and crackers, especially during festive season. I’m not against the age-old idea of celebration but if it causes unimaginable discomfort to my dog, count me out.

Every year, this time puts me in a state of panic. No pet-parent wants to see their pooch suffer the way they do during this time.

Some breeds suffer more than the others but that doesn’t mean we should continue with such a ‘tradition’.

I can’t recall the number of times I’ve heard a friend tell me, “Arrey, ek din ki toh baat hai. Seh lega.”

My dog’s ‘tolerance’ towards it isn’t just ‘sehna’. It’s pure torture for him. A dog who is excited all year around with only happy thoughts on his mind becomes this petrified little creature who has no idea why the world is so loud all of a sudden.

People’s ignorance has gotten to the point that they’re not even well-informed about why dogs behave the way they do during this time. Let me guide you.

It is a proven fact that dogs have a better sense of hearing as compared to us. They have the ability to hear sounds that our human ears cannot even process. So, just imagine their plight when they have to go through a night full of back-to-back loud noises that sound like a bomb blast.

Hiding under beds, howling every time a cracker bursts and almost getting a panic attack is what happens to him when you dance around a ladi as long as the road. It’s not entertaining. It’s not fun. STOP IT!

But at least my dog has a home. He has me to comfort him and even in his worst condition, he knows he’s in his own safe zone.

But where do the strays go? Who’s got their back, bro? 

Thousands of stray dogs live around us. We see them every day, play with them and feed them. But have you ever wondered what happens to them when you light those ‘aloo bombs’ on fire? 

They make a run for it. A run for their life.

The world is already cruel to them and during this time, all they can do is hide. Hide in a place where they can manage to stay away from the noise. 

But guess what? Your patakhas are so loud and high up in the sky, that they have no place to go where they might feel safe. They end up hiding under cars making it their ‘safe zone’. But that leads them to getting hurt when the owners take their cars out.

Please check under your car during this time.

And if this is not inhumane enough, mischievous children, or even adults try to get a good laugh out of torturing an animal. It is such a common sight to see a poor dog running for its life with a cracker tied to its tail, while people have a gala time watching it suffer. How can anyone be so heartless?

A neighbour of mine once suggested such a horrifying idea to me and asked me to record it while he goes and tortures a poor dog for ‘likes’ and ‘viral content’. I was dumbfounded at his request and made sure to maintain my distance from him since then. 

It’s not even just about bursting crackers anymore. It’s about our lack of compassion towards animals. We take them for granted, mistreat them and then complain about how aggressive they are towards us. It’s all our doing, guys. 

This Diwali, I request everyone to be a little compassionate towards these creatures. Leave your ignorance at the door and show some empathy towards them. For humanity’s sake, don’t burst crackers. They not only kill the environment but torture dogs to the point where they end up suffering from anxiety and PTSD. 

Celebrate responsibly.