Holi is the festival of colours and marks the arrival of spring season. This joyful occasion is filled with fun festivities like the playing session with colours and water balloons. Though we are excited about this occasion, pets and stray animals despise getting hit by colours and water balloons. No colour is safe for animals even the non-toxic/ herbals ones.
Effects of Colours on Pets & Strays:
- Hair Loss And Skin Allergies: Most colours contain chemicals and metal oxides which can cause skin allergies and inflammation in animals. It can also result in a range of issues including shedding, rashes, patches, cuts and sores.
- Respiratory Distress And Lung Infection: Your pets and stray animals may inhale these colours through their nasal tract. The chemicals in the dry colour, on inhalation can cause lung infections and respiratory issues.
- Blindness: If these colours meet with your animal’s eyes, it can lead to itching and burning sensation, reddening and permanent loss of eyesight.
- Acts As a Slow Poison: Animals usually have a habit of self-grooming. They do this by licking themselves which can cause them to ingest the colours applied to their body. The colours and dyes contain lead which can be fatal for pets and stray animals.
Precautions to be taken:
- Don’t Put Colour On Pets: The colours and dyes contain lead, zinc, chromium, copper, mercury, silica in the form of sulphates, bromides and oxides. These compounds may cause dermatitis, irritations, asthma, organ failure and cancer.
- Keep Your Pet Indoors: Keeping your pet indoors during the celebration is the best way to prevent them from being hit by colours and water balloons.
- Use Pet Shampoo To Remove Colours: If colours are accidently put on your pet, use a mild pet shampoo to remove the dirt and colour stains.
- Create Awareness In Your Area: Make people aware in your locality about the dangers and risks of colours on pets. Sensitise kids in your neighborhood about pet safety.
- Watch Out For Symptoms: Symptoms of poisoning include excessive drooling, vomiting, loose stools and behavioral changes like aggression. Seek immediate attention from your vet if you notice any of these warning signs.
- Check Stray Dogs And Cats In Your Locality: Extend your compassion and consideration to street animals. We should be attentive towards stray animals as they don’t enjoy the privilege of care and medical attention that is available to our pets.
This Holi celebrate with your pet without making it uncomfortable for them. Take extra care of your pets and all the animals around you. Lets make this Holi trouble free for all of them.
