Holi Celebrations: Keep Pets & Strays Safe
Holi the festival of colours is coming and the excitement just builds up.These festivals we celebrate are meant to spread joy and happiness not fear. While playing holi putting gulal and colours on friends and family seems fun but when few people start putting them on community animals dogs, cats and cows it could have a long and negative impact on these animals. It could cause them serious harm as nobody is going to wash them off these colours later and they would get itchy and develop an allergy. These animals do not understand and are not a part off this celebration, for them it is traumatic.
Why colour and gulal are harmful
Most festival colours and gulal powders are not designed for animal skin or fur, as they may contain artificial dyes, chemicals, fragrances, and preservatives. When these colours are put on pets and they are not given a proper shower afterward, the residue settles into their coat, seeps into their skin, and can cause irritation or harm. Even when pet parents use safe dog grooming products or a complete dog grooming kit to clean their pets, removing stubborn chemical colours can be difficult and stressful for the animal.
Since most animals groom and clean themselves by licking, these harmful substances can enter their stomach, leading to vomiting, toxicity, and severe stomach irritation. When our pet gets sick, we immediately rush to the vet. However, community dogs and cats do not have that privilege; they do not have access to proper care, quality dog grooming products, or even a basic dog grooming kit to help remove these substances safely.
Powdered colours can also enter their eyes, nose, or ears, causing eye infections, breathing discomfort, and allergic skin reactions. For stray and community animals without immediate veterinary support, a seemingly “harmless” act can result in days of discomfort and pain. They may not ask for anything from us, but they certainly do not deserve to be harmed in the name of celebration. This Holi, let’s choose compassion and keep colours away from animals.
Water balloons cause fear and injury
Some kids enjoy throwing water balloons , good fun to play like this with friends but it is definitely not fun for the animals rather it is frightening for them. They live in the community peacefully, these sudden hits by water balloons shake their confidence in their surroundings and they might get aggressive as they lose trust in humans. These sudden splashes or impacts can:
- Startle them into panic
- Trigger defensive behavior
- Cause physical injury
- Create long-term fear of humans
Mostly the community animals live cautiously around people. Repeated exposure to loud noises, forced colour application or sudden water splashes can result in lasting trauma. A scared animal may run into traffic, hide without food or become aggressive out of fear.
Emotional trauma is real
Animals experience stress just like humans do. Being chased, cornered or forcibly covered in colour can cause elevated heart rate, anxiety, loss of trust in humans, behavioral changes.
Community dogs and cats survive on human kindness. Harassing them for entertainment damages that fragile trust. These animals live peacefully around us so we should also reciprocate the same and be responsible in our attitude towards them and not harm them.
Be responsible and kind
Our festivals teach us to be happy and kind towards all species, the celebrations of these festivals should never be at the cost of a voiceless animal’s safety be it Diwali or Holi. So this Holi please enjoy yourselves , keep safe and be responsible . Please refrain from the following
- Do not apply colour or gulal to animals
- Do not throw water balloons at them
- Do not chase or corner them for fun
- Keep pets indoors during loud festivities
- Educate children gently about respecting animals
These beautiful souls spread unconditional love. All they ask from us is food, safety and kindness, nothing more. Let us make this Holi safe for these loving animals and also become the voice of these voiceless loving animals who cannot speak for themselves and ask for justice. This Holi, choose kindness over colours and love over loudness. Celebrate responsibly with PUPR.