You choose to make them a part of your celebrations, understood.
But many do not understand the grave effect which the celebrations might have on them.
Most dog owners feel that as long as they use dry colors on their pets, there’s no harm. But the truth is, the presence of lead, which acts as an accumulative poison, makes these colors a high-risk material for pets. Inhalation of colour powder may cause nasal irritation and possibly respiratory allergy or infection.
With the Holi festival just around the corner and excitement building, it’s important to prepare so that companion and stray animals aren’t harmed during the festivities. Here are the top actions to take to keep animals safe and healthy this Holi:
• Know the facts.
The powders that are used during the festival are made with synthetic colors which contain toxic metals or dyes that can cause skin allergies, rashes or even blindness in people and animals. Animals can easily inhale the powder, which can cause nasal irritation and respiratory allergies or infections. Animals who ingest it while grooming themselves can suffer from stomach ailments or other illnesses or even die. Drinking water colored by the powder can also cause hair loss and dermatitis in dogs.
• Keep animals indoors.
Getting hit with colored powder or water isn’t fun for animals, who don’t understand what is happening and don’t enjoy getting powder or water in their eyes and noses. Keep animal companions indoors, and ensure that celebrations occur a safe distance away from stray animals.
• Teach children not to throw the powder or water balloons at animals.Kids may not realise that this frightens and hurts animals.
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• Create awareness in your area.
Ask housing associations or building managers to put up notices that remind tenants to keep their animal companions indoors during Holi and never throw the powder or water at animals.
• Watch out for community dogs and strays.
If an animal gets the powder in his or her eyes, quickly flush them out with clean water. If irritation persists, recruit the help of a veterinarian for medical care.
• Use shampoo to remove coloured powder from animals’ hair and fur.
A good gentle animal-friendly shampoo should get the powder out of an animal’s hair. Never use toxic kerosene, alcohol or hair oil.
• Keep Holi sweets out of animals’ reach.
Give dogs only canine-friendly treats this Holi. Ingredients like cream, chocolate and raisins can make them sick or even kill them.
This Holi, play it safe.
Do ensure however, that in either your love towards the street or pet animals you care for OR in your post-bhaang madness you don’t put the colourful, toxic, harmful, chemical laced powdered or liquid Holi colors onto the animals or birds.
You can wash the colors off, these animals and birds cannot do so, no matter how hard they try to. So this Holi, let’s pledge to be #AnimalFriendly by not painting our furry friends, rather even help stray dogs in our neighborhood by keeping them clean and safe.
Info. - #Google
