Kolkata: Noise demon, that is on the prowl in the city despite the prohibition of pollution control board, is sending strays and pets into a tizzy. This has prompted animal caregivers including pet parents to campaign for animal-friendly Diwali celebrations, especially requesting revellers to spare a thought for street animals spending nights under open sky. Apart from sustaining burn injuries, the street animals,are found suffering from distress caused by sound crackers.To ward off the noise demon, parents of pedigree pets are also making their “kennels” noise-proof. The distress symptoms triggered among animals due to the fear of bursting include trembling, pacing, restlessness, hiding, cowering, whining, excessive barking and refusal to eat and drink, according to veterinarians.Some animal caregivers who feed street dogs regularly are also accommodating local strays at home or making makeshift arrangements for them. Alipore resident T J Mookerjee has given refuge to one of the community dogs and he is urging his neighbours to do the same. “We are keeping the windows and doors shut to drown out the noise of crackers. Our pleas for sound-free Diwali celebrations fell on the deaf ears of some locals and it is not possible for one person to keep all the strays indoors,” he said.Debamaitri Biswas, a BBA student who feeds about 50 strays around Garia station daily, rued that the animals were found running here and there, trying to hide from the noise.. “We have accommodated some of them in our garden and are trying to keep them engaged. We appeal to the locals not to target the strays with crackers, but that makes no difference,” she said.The pet parents have started taking a slew of measures for their furry family members like keeping safe corners, arranging anti-anxiety medicines, distracting them with toys, covering their ears, playing soft music and making them familiar with the crackers’ recorded sound, which helps in preventing animals’ trauma when noise crackers are burst outside.Anandapur resident Sayantani Chatterjee who has four pet dogs of different breeds such as Beagle, Saint Bernard, Labrador and Indie has stopped taking them on evening walks for the last three days. “We are taking them out on morning walks. We have also replaced traditional candles with LED alternatives for their safety. I am distracting my pets with indoor games and music and also giving them ample water as our vet has advised that hydration helps them stave off trauma-related complications,” she said.Hiedi Vimal, resident of a condominium off EM Bypass is playing TV or music system to drown out the noise of crackers for her two Dalmatians. “It’s difficult to take them out because of the crackers. So, we are remaining indoors and playing with the pets with soft music in the background,” she said. Another pet parent Arushi Bhattacharya, a resident of Hazra said, “I am trying to minimise my pets’ distress and applying some calming remedies. I wrapped mufflers around their ears to reduce the impact of loud crackers.”
