Holi, the festival of colors, ushers in the spring season, and this joyous occasion brings with it a plethora of fun and entertainment, including gulaal and water balloon playing. Although we are all excited about the prospect of tossing colors at each other, pets and stray animals on the street hate being hit with these balloons and colors.
Unlike dogs and cats, we have a high immune system that can counteract any negative effects from the chemicals and dyes in the paints. The toxicity of these chemicals may have a negative impact on animals with a poor protection system.
Colors Have Negative Effects on Pets and Stray Animals:
Hair loss and skin allergies: The majority of Holi dry colors contain chemicals such as Mercury Sulfate and metal oxides. Skin allergies and inflammation are known to occur in dogs, especially in short-haired breeds. It may also cause skin rashes and hair loss due to excessive itching and scratching.
Causes blindness: Water balloons are often thrown at stray dogs. The balloons are usually filled with various colors. The colored water and dyes in these balloons can be harmful to their eyes, potentially resulting in irreversible vision loss.
Causes respiratory problems: During Holi, we often see people smearing color powders on their dogs. They have no idea that these powders will easily penetrate through the nasal passages of pets. Inhaling the chemicals in the powder can cause lung infections and other respiratory problems.
Works as a slow poison: Licking is a popular way for dogs and cats to clean themselves. They eat a lot of the colors we've added to their bodies when self-grooming. Lead traces can be found in the colors and dyes, which are sluggish toxins that can kill both your pets and stray animals.
And in the midst of all the joy and celebration, we can always spare a few moments to ensure the safety and security of these helpless animals. So, here are some precautions below:
Animals should be kept indoors: Animals don't like being sprayed with colored powder or water because they don't understand what's going on and don't like having powder or water in their eyes and noses. Keep your animal friends indoors and keep celebrations a short distance away from stray animals.
Children should be advised not to throw powder or water balloons at animals: It's possible that children are unaware that this terrifies and harms animals.
Boost awareness in your area: Request that housing associations or building managers post notices asking residents to keep their pets indoors during Holi and not to throw the powder or water at them.
Keep an eye out for stray dogs and neighborhood dogs: If the powder gets into an animal's eyes, wash them out as soon as possible with clean water. If discomfort continues, seek medical attention from a veterinarian.
Shampoo may be used to extract colored powder from the hair and fur of animals: The powder should be removed from an animal's hair with a nice gentle animal-friendly shampoo. Never use kerosene, tobacco, or hair oil, which are all poisonous.
Keep Holi sweets out of sight of animals: This Holi just offers dogs dog-friendly treats. Cream, chocolate, and raisins, for example, can make them sick or even kill them.
Wishing you a happy and safe animal-friendly Holi, friends!
