Lost Dog After Diwali? What Pet Parents Can Do

A lost dog after Diwali is now a story heard in more than one city. The street dog was an eight-month-old in Bengaluru, who was residing safely at a building site for months. One loud firecracker went off that night, 6 November. The next morning, she was dead. A community feeder told The New Indian Express that the dog, spooked by the blast, had jumped from a high floor of the 14-storey building under construction.

Her story is the hardest of many this festive week. Dogs were hiding, running, lost or injured, reported, from Bengaluru to Kolkata. This is what those nights were like, and what to do if you have a lost dog after Diwali.

Karnataka had told people to burst only green crackers between 8 pm and 10 pm. But The New Indian Express reported that in Bengaluru, there were several days of wanton bursting of illegal firecrackers beyond the allowed limits.

Dogs are reportedly around four times as sensitive to sound as humans, the same report states. It also noted that in India, a cracker can legally be as loud as 125 decibels. Even this legal level can induce fear, confusion and agitation in dogs.

When the noise increased, the dogs on the streets of Bengaluru were shivering, hiding and running in fear. Some of them travelled kilometres from their usual areas. They darted across busy roads.

The rescuers and the residents themselves made their homes and other places temporary shelter. Rescuers took around seven puppies from Rayasandra and Electronics City into foster care with their mothers for four to five days. Vets gave some dogs calming medicine, under guidance.

Diwali night and Kali Puja was the loudest in Kolkata on Sunday. Many owners of animals said it was the noisiest Diwali they had seen in years, according to The Telegraph.

That night pet dogs spent the night under chairs and tables. One 14-year-old Shih Tzu only settled around 4 am. A Labrador had a racing heartbeat and heavy panting. Some owners reported that they had tagged the Kolkata Police on their social media platforms, but were not able to find any assistance. Police said they did respond to specific complaints. They simply had a difficult time tracking down crackers if they couldn't identify where the source was.

A city vet told the paper he got several distress calls. Owners should stay close to their pets, he said. Sometimes, he prescribed medicine for anxiety.

However, dawn was not really the end of the night for Kolkata's community dogs. The banned crackers had forced many of them to flee their own localities and get into new surroundings, where they risked fights with other dogs, reported the Times of India.

Caregivers began searching. They put up "lost dog" posters with cash rewards, as well as voice notes on WhatsApp groups. Three people from New Alipore announced a Rs 5,000 reward for Chhaya, a four-year-old dog last seen as other dogs chased her towards Behala.

Searchers located some dogs. Many were not.

Additionally, rescuers picked up over 10 injured dogs and cats from various locations such as Joka, Taratala, Behala and Madhyamgram. One private animal hospital took in three serious burn cases. A shelter admitted a cat with a badly hurt eye.

Compare these reports and you'll see the trend. Crackers burst outside the time/limits and it affected homes and streets. Pet dogs panicked indoors. Street dogs had no door to hide behind, they ran.

Community feeders, rescuers and neighbours carried out most of the rescuing activities.

Go on a search if your dog is gone early and late, when the streets are quiet. Scared dogs tend to hide close by. Post a clear photo with local WhatsApp groups and nearby shelters. Follow our guide on how to find your lost pet in India, one step at a time.

Look for burns or injury on the paws, ears, eyes and fur if your dog came home. If you see anything, or your dog won't eat or hides, please see a vet.

Count the community dogs you feed. Record who is missing and exchange photographs with other caregivers in surrounding areas.

Before the next festival, fit a collar with your phone number on it, keep doors and balconies secured, and start calming work early. We have a plan to calm dogs during Diwali.

Festivals come to an end in a night. This can take a much longer period for a frightened dog. Even with a bit of care, many of them can be brought home this week.