Sneha Namanandi voices for paw-safe Diwali:  Let us all think about how pets and strays get badly affected by crackers, and therefore be responsible

Diwali means spending fun time with family and friends, gorge on  good food, decorate our houses with lights and diyas and bursting crackers the whole night. While all these make us happy, we should not forget that bursting crackers disturbs pets, says actor-entrepreneur Sneha Namanandi. Phonophobia, the fear of loud sounds, is commonly seen in a lot of pets during Diwali. Some pets may even show their anxiety by salivating too much, yawning continuously or pacing up and down.
  
“Diwali is a wonderful festival. It gets people together. Laxmi puja is a very auspicious occasion for all of us in India and we celebrate it with a lot of conviction. It’s a belief system. We all believe so much in the Laxmi puja and we actually celebrate it with a lot of dedication and sincerity,” says the Bade Acche Lagte Hai 2 actor, adding that there are certain things concerning animals that one should keep in mind while having fun.
  
“It’s wonderful getting people together and enjoying the festival and praying. But, we should not be selfish while doing all of these. Animals, who are outside on the streets and also in our homes, really get affected by the sound of crackers. They get anxiety, panic and a lot of things related to crackers affect animals. Along with the sound, they go through a lot of chemical reactions because of the crackers, which is really harmful for the strays. It is our duty to be responsible and take care of the animals around us because if we don’t do that who will. All I want to say is be selfless and also be responsible and take care of the strays around you. One small moment that we initiate can actually help the pets to have a happy and safe life,” she adds.

It’s heartbreaking to see how crackers affect pets and strays, how they react to the sounds of crackers. “My own dog hides in the corner and sits quietly, panicking. We really don’t want to see them like that. So we personally take care of it and don’t use a lot of crackers, one or two phuljaris and some colorful ones. I’m sure there are chemical-free crackers, which are available in the market. Please look out for that,” she shares.