Animal Friendly Holi - Equals Safe Holi

Festival Of Colours But Only For Humans

The chilling winter is saying bye to us and we are welcoming the spring with our hands widespread. The weather is changing, flowers are blooming, squirrels are coming out and we are stuffing our woollens back to the box. Whereas what reminds me of these changes in nature is the Holi. Holi – the festival of colours, the festival of joy which makes everyone from kids to grown-ups eager and energized. I guess they must have started filling their water balloons.

A huge part of any neighbourhood comprises of animals that include strays and pets. No matter how grand your Holi celebrations are at home always remember to exclude your pets as well as any stray dog/cat in your vicinity. The fact is No Colour is safe for animals, not even the ones marketed as herbal/non-toxic.

Most pet owners feel that as long as they use dry colors on their pets, there’s no harm. But the reality is, the presence of lead, which acts as an accumulative poison, makes these colours a high-risk material for pets. Inhalation of color powder might cause nasal irritation and presumably metabolic process hypersensitivity reaction or infection.

The coloured powders can do so much more harm to animals than you can imagine.

• Skin allergies and itchiness.
• When these dyes get into the eyes can lead to Blindness.
• Breathing in these colours can cause respiratory ailments and nasal irritation.
• In case an animal accidentally swallows/licks the powder, it may even die due to poisoning and stomach illnesses. These colours comprise of Lead that is a toxic metal.

 
Keep the pet safe: Pick up a corner of the house where no one will come and scare the pet. While furious pets can bark and scare you out of fear, there are many pets who would prefer to hide in a corner. To protect your pet throughout Holi, it is best to tie and keep them in a corner where no one would irritate your pet.

Keep Water Bowl: Always keep a water bowl ready. Make sure to arrange a sufficient amount of water for drinking as well for cleaning their eyes in every 2-3 hours. Also, once in a while glucose can be substituted with water for drinking purpose.

Removing Color: Make sure you only use animal shampoo to remove any colour on your pet’s fur that it may have (accidentally) caught. Never use human hair oils or harsh product like alcohol or coal.

Keep Holi sweets out of animal’s reach: Provide dogs solely canine-friendly treats during Holi. Ingredients like cream, chocolate and raisins might make them sick. Care ought to be taken as these foods are made of butter, cream and sugar and doesn’t go down well with canines and can might give them an upset stomach.

Symptoms of Poisoning caused by dry/wet Colors: Vomiting, Loose stool, Excessive drool and Behavioral changes. In case you observe any one of these signs being displayed by your pet, rush it to the nearest veterinarian or animal hospital.

Create Awareness in your area: Request housing associations or building managers to place up notices that inform tenants to keep their animal companions inside throughout Holi and do not throw the powder or water at animals.

Petting: You might be busy with friends, family, as it is the most awaited festival of the year and also this does not make you wrong. But, make sure in all these festivities, you do not avoid your pet. A small pat, a hug, call, clap, rubbing their back can do wonders. Even it is advised by the psychologists that petting helps.

So what to do next? How to celebrate a safe and sound holi with your favourite member of the family? Well here’s a tip, make Holi a spa day for your dogs, a day they’d annually wait for. Give them a nice body massage & Then give them a hot water bath (add a fun element by using the water guns) and groom them as much as you can. This Holi, Instead of polluting and exploiting the environment and making your pooches uncomfortable, do some body cleansing and body polishing.

This Holi celebrate with your pet but not make it messy for them. Take extra yet utmost care for them and all the animals around you. Let’s make this Holi a trouble free for all of them.

Wishing you a Happy and safe animal-friendly Holi!