A year ago, Samiran Ghosh of Shankharitola lost his pet dog, and he still searches for it today. On the night of Kali Puja, loud firecrackers were going off. At that time, Samiran had given food to the small red-and-white spotted dog in front of his house. Startled by the noise of the firecrackers, the dog dropped the food and ran away in fear, never returning.
Even a year later, whenever he sees a similar stray dog, Samiran goes close to check it. Though he repeatedly ends up disappointed.
For some people, Kali Puja means the joy of loud noise. But for dogs, cats, and animals, this euphoria is terrifying, sometimes even deadly. They are also mentally damaged. Last year, thousands of birds died in Bengal due to the sound of firecrackers and toxic smoke during Kali Puja, according to ornithologists.
The situation is expected to get worse this year. Environmental activists and animal lovers are concerned about the role of the police and administration in curbing banned fireworks. The Calcutta High Court has also made observations. The court said that although firecracker markets were opened in different places, the police did not issue a notification regarding the prohibited firecrackers. After the court's statement, the police issued a notice in this regard, but according to many, it was too late.
Animal lovers are appealing on social media to maintain restraint and awareness during Kali Puja this time. They request everyone to be a little more humane in bursting firecrackers for the sake of these animals.
Paramita Das, a dog trainer and dog trainer, said, "Dogs run away and then disappear every year due to the sound of firecrackers. At this time, stray dogs and cats are the most helpless.”
Another trainer, Sayantan Lodh, said, "The sound of firecrackers shows different behaviour of pets in the house. There are no specific rules on how to keep them calm. But the most dangerous are the animals on the road. They are subjected to various atrocities ranging from firecrackers to firecrackers. ’
Trainer Biswanath Pal said that if there is any torture of the stray animals, the residents of the area need to stand up. If the situation is critical, it is also necessary to file a complaint with the police and punish the culprits.
