Kolkata pet owners and animal caregivers are creating sound-protected corners, altering routines and sheltering street dogs as firecracker noise during Diwali leaves pets and strays distressed, injured and unable to find safe refuge in the city.
The Times of India reported that the noise continued despite a prohibition by the pollution control board. Animal caregivers said street animals, many of which spend the night outdoors, face both burn injuries and trauma from loud crackers. Veterinarians cited symptoms including trembling, pacing, restlessness, hiding, cowering, whining, excessive barking and refusal to eat or drink.
The response has extended beyond households with pets. Alipore resident T J Mookerjee has taken a community dog into his home and is urging neighbours to provide temporary shelter to other strays. He said residents were keeping doors and windows shut to reduce the sound entering their homes, but added that one person could not accommodate all the street dogs in the area.
At Garia station, BBA student Debamaitri Biswas, who feeds about 50 strays daily, said some of the animals were running around in search of places to hide. She and other caregivers have accommodated some dogs in a garden and are trying to keep them occupied. The caregivers are also appealing to residents not to target street animals with crackers.
Pet owners are taking a range of precautions inside their homes. These include setting up safe corners, using anti-anxiety medicines on veterinary advice, distracting animals with toys, covering their ears, playing soft music and gradually familiarising them with recorded cracker sounds. Such measures are intended to reduce the impact of sudden bursts of noise, particularly for animals that cannot understand or escape the source of the disturbance.
Sayantani Chatterjee, who lives in Anandapur and has four dogs, including a Beagle, Saint Bernard, Labrador and Indie, has stopped taking them out for evening walks and is instead walking them in the morning. She has replaced traditional candles with LED alternatives, used indoor games and music to distract the dogs, and ensured they have sufficient water after receiving advice from her veterinarian.
Residents in other parts of the city described similar changes. Hiedi Vimal, who lives in a condominium near EM Bypass, said she was keeping her two Dalmatians indoors and using television or music to mask the cracker noise. Arushi Bhattacharya of Hazra said she was using calming remedies and wrapping mufflers around her pets’ ears to reduce the effect of loud sounds.
The accounts underline a gap between formal restrictions on noise and the experience of animals and caregivers at street level. While pet owners can close windows, modify walks and create protected spaces, community dogs remain exposed in open areas without consistent access to shelter. The reported response from caregivers is therefore focused on temporary household and neighbourhood arrangements rather than a coordinated citywide system.
Animal caregivers are continuing to seek quieter celebrations and asking residents to consider the impact of crackers on pets and street animals. In the immediate term, households are being advised by veterinarians and caregivers to keep animals indoors where possible, maintain hydration and reduce exposure to sudden noise.
