Holi has become popular all over the world, inspiring concerts and local 5K races where people are showered with bursts of vivid colors from water balloons or powdered compounds. The colors may look amazing, but their safety for dogs is questionable.
What exactly is in Holi colors?
Although ancient Holi colors were made from berries, flowers, and spices, today’s liquid and powdered colors can contain heavy metals like lead oxide, aluminum bromide, mercury sulphite, copper sulphate, and even mold.
The colored water from burst balloons can be harmful if swallowed, and the dyed powder may irritate skin and cause allergic reactions in dogs and people.
Some events claim to use only certified non-toxic colors that contain no heavy metals and are made from cornstarch, baking soda, and FD&C (food-approved) dyes instead. However, they still recommend wearing glasses or goggles to protect your eyes and a bandana or mask to shield your nose and mouth, which is difficult to achieve with dogs.
Also, modern color manufacturing is poorly regulated and testing has found potentially toxic substances like malachite green, suspected carcinogens, rhodamine, and gentian violet in some of today’s Holi colors.
How can Holi affect your dog’s health?
Dogs like to lick their bodies and if they’re covered in colored powdered or liquid, they’ll consume the ingredients in those dyes, which could lead to stomach or gastrointestinal issues. Also, breathing the dust from the colored powder may cause respiratory problems, and can irritate your dog’s eyes due to the granularity of the powder.
If your dog is accidentally colorized, use a mild dog shampoo to remove all of the dye as quickly as possible. If there’s any skin irritation, take your dog to your veterinarian immediately. Watch for signs of poisoning: vomiting, loose stools, excessive drooling, and behavioral changes.
If your dog has any of these symptoms, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control hotline:
(888) 426-4435 and bring your dog to the nearest animal hospital. Your safest bet is to not expose your dog to any colored powder or liquid, even if the ingredients are listed as herbal and non-toxic.
How can you keep your dog safe during Holi?
If you live in an area where color events are popular, use these tips to help keep your dog and other pets protected.
- Teach children it’s dangerous to put color on pets, particularly stray dogs who don’t have Pet Parents to protect or bathe them afterward.
- Keep pets inside during Holi. If your neighborhood has a lot of strays, ask a local shelter and family or friends if they can help you temporarily shelter a homeless dog or cat during the festivities.
- Post signs in your community advising people to keep colors off all animals.
Are there any dog-friendly festivals in the U.S. or Canada?
While Holi isn’t dog-friendly, there are quite a few local and national events in the U.S. that are safe for dogs. Here are a few of our favorite four-legged festivals you and your best pal can enjoy together:
DockDogs®- Across the U.S. and Canada: Even if your dog can’t compete in this worldwide canine aquatics competition (yet), it’s still fun to bring them along and watch the high-flying antics.
Catherine’s Butterfly Party – Newtown, CT: A free family festival and pet adoption event featuring adoptable pets from 25 tristate (CT, NY, and NJ) rescues, face painting and crafts, live birds of prey display, K-9 demonstrations, and much more.
Dog Day Festival – Nashville, TN: Features food, live music, and canine fun for the whole family with contests, demos, and a giant shopping pavilion.
Bark in the Park – San Jose, CA: The largest dog festival in the U.S. has everything from costume and tail-wagging contests and sport demos to canine water parks.
Dog Bowl – Frankenmuth, MI: This free family event features canine sports: disc, agility, luring and herding, plus a howl competition, silly pet tricks, and racing. They even crown a Dog Bowl King and Queen.
Muttzanita– Manzanita, OR: A free Olympic-style event with contests, talent and fashion shows, and an adorable canine parade.
Woofstock – Toronto, Canada: The largest North American outdoor dog fest features canine tricks, a Cirque Du Canine Stunt Show, and Weiner/Pug racing. The best news: it’s completely free!
Before bringing your socialized, well-behaved pal to any gathering, make sure it’s dog-friendly and features pet-safe activities both you and your best buddy can enjoy.
Learn more:
https://www.petsworld.in/blog/how-safe-is-holi-for-pets-and-stray-animals.html
