Social media users came down hard on a Delhi woman for talking about how Diwali crackers gave her pet dog sleepless nights. Naomi Barton, a literary agent and former journalist, had trolls unleashed on her X post detailing the horror of her pooch, who she said has a heart condition.
“Happy Diwali! My dog has a heart condition and has been trembling with anxiety for the last hour. This will be her second night of no sleep. I hope making large explosive noises has given everyone a deep feeling of spiritual fulfillment!,” Barton wrote.
“I honestly take no joy in being waspish and would like to genuinely offer well wishes to everyone excluding the jacka**es pretending to play at war in the goddamn suburbs.”
While a few dog owners seemed to empathise with Barton’s canine, many Xers in the replies decided to go off on the owner instead, defending their “tradition”.
“Diwali crackers predate your choice to adopt a dog. Make better choices,” a comment read.
“Leave the country with your dog,” another said.
Commenters also responded with whataboutisms, shifting the attention to animals who suffer during other celebrations like Eid and Thanksgiving.
Barton's post triggered many more people, though not quite at the scale actor Rajpal Yadav was called out for his environmental advocacy. The Bhool Bhulaiyaa-fame has been accused of selectively preaching empathy for animals with his crackerless Diwali appeal. The "hypocrisy", according to people, lied in his promotion of chicken biryani.
Diwali brought to light countless other past appeals by industry personalities, who "suddenly start caring" for these animals during "our festivals".
Loud noises, bright lights and polluted air can sensorily overwhelm our furry friends. High-intensity exposure causes dogs to experience heightened stress and anxiety.
Thanks to their wider hearing range, dogs can also be startled by fireworks going off outside of the human earshot.