CHENNAI: Although the eve of Deepavali was perhaps one of the wettest days of the year and proved quite a dampener for the cracker-happy, it seemed one section of the society was particularly jubilant.Dog owners around Chennai rejoiced as nature intervened and the skies opened up. S Krithika claims that her usually boisterous Indian dog, Spooky, was indeed spooked last year at this time. She says, “Last Deepavali, we needed to give him a mild dose of a sleeping pill to help him stay calm, but yesterday, he enjoyed a quiet lunch with no disturbance at all.” In the run up to the festival, software professional Thirumalai Shatru, in fact, attempted an informal campaign for sensitivity toward animals — reaching out to neighbours, friends and watchmen of course, near his apartment block at Kilpauk. “Animals that have a place to stay are scared enough,” he states, "but think about the stray cats and dogs on the streets. Most open spaces have been turned into construction sites these days and there are fewer places to hide.” Granted that the Deepavali spirit may not be drowned altogether, but considering the ‘natural’ toning down on cracker bursting, animal lovers are all smiles.Veterinarian Priya Govind says, “I’ve been receiving text messages all day from people who come to my clinic.” She adds, “However, I have had my fair share of requests for ‘serenity pills’ from pet owners, but personally I do not advise it.Instead, I give them herbal or homeopathic pills, this makes them less sensitive to noise, depending on the nature of the dog.” While animal lovers citywide offer a conclusive list of reasons as to why fireworks are not welcome during the festival of lights, it is certain that the masses will continue to enjoy their 1000-wallah light-anddash cracker sprints. R Priya, resident of Puzhal “My husband and I were planning to go for a picnic today and take a long drive because it’s a holiday, but at the last minute we decided that our pets deserved better than to be scared alone.” So, perhaps the best thing you can do for your pet is stay home and show some warmth.
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