Why is my dog so scared of Diwali crackers?

Crackers are loud, sudden and unpredictable, and can exceed 150 decibels. Fear of fireworks is common, affecting a quarter to a half of dogs in surveys, and most dogs develop it in their first year. It often comes with fear of thunder and can get worse each year without preparation.

Should I leave my dog alone at home on Diwali night?

Try not to. Noise phobia often occurs alongside separation distress, and a frightened dog alone may panic, injure itself or try to escape. Stay home if you can, or arrange for someone your dog knows to be with it in the safe room on the main nights.

Can I give my dog something to calm it for Diwali?

Only what your vet prescribes. Calming medicines are prescription-only, need to be trialled before the festival, and are not right for every pet. Never give a human medicine or sleeping tablet. See your vet four to six weeks before Diwali if your dog panicked last year.

How do I calm a cat during firecrackers?

Keep it indoors after dark with doors, windows and cat flaps shut, give it several familiar hiding places high and low with a litter tray nearby, and leave it alone in its hiding place. Keep to its normal routine. A cat still hiding and not eating a day later should see a vet.

What time are firecrackers banned in India?

The Supreme Court ordered a complete ban on bursting sound-emitting crackers between 10 pm and 6 am in its judgment of 18 July 2005, and earlier said crackers may not be used at any time in silence zones near hospitals, schools, courts and religious places. States and cities can add their own orders.

How loud are firecrackers allowed to be?

Under the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, crackers louder than 125 dB(AI) or 145 dB(C)pk at 4 metres from where they burst may not be made, sold or used, with a lower limit for each cracker in a joined string. The Department of Explosives is responsible for enforcing it.

Will my dog's fear of crackers get better on its own?

Often not. In an international survey, about a third of fearful dogs showed no change over time and about a quarter got worse. Gradual sound training, started months before the festival at volumes the dog barely notices and paired with treats, helps many dogs. Training puppies early was highly effective at preventing the fear.

What should I tell a pet sitter about Diwali?

Tell them, in writing, that your pet is afraid of crackers, how it shows fear, where the den is, what calms it, whether it has ever bolted, and any medicine your vet prescribed with the instructions. Ask them to keep doors and balcony gates shut and to walk dogs on a lead before dark.

Care guide 15 min read

Diwali and pets: calming a dog or cat scared of crackers

Updated October 2026By PetymFacts checked against official sources on 21 October 2026

Quick answer

To help a dog through Diwali, prepare a quiet, familiar den weeks ahead, walk it before dark, close windows and curtains, mask the bangs with music, stay with it, and comfort it if it comes to you. Give a cat several hiding places it already likes and keep it indoors. Talk to your vet early if your pet panics.

Fear of fireworks is common: surveys put it at a quarter to a half of dogs. Firecrackers can exceed 150 decibels, and Indian rules ban crackers louder than 125 dB(AI) at 4 metres and sound-emitting crackers between 10 pm and 6 am. Frightened pets bolt, so check the ID tag and microchip before the festival.

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What do Indian rules say about firecracker noise?

Cracker noise and timing rules in India, and how loud crackers get
What	The rule	Source
Noise limit	The manufacture, sale or use of crackers louder than 125 dB(AI) or 145 dB(C)pk, measured 4 metres from where they burst, is prohibited under Schedule I of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 (notified 5 October 1999).	Nagaland Pollution Control Board
Strings of crackers	For each cracker in a joined series, the limit is lowered by 5 log10(N) dB, where N is the number joined together.	Nagaland Pollution Control Board
Who enforces it	The rule says the Department of Explosives shall ensure the standard is implemented.	Nagaland Pollution Control Board
Night ban	The Supreme Court's judgment of 18 July 2005 ordered a complete ban on bursting sound-emitting crackers between 10 pm and 6 am; colour and light-emitting crackers were not time-restricted.	Supreme Court of India
Silence zones	An interim Supreme Court order of 27 September 2001, recorded in the same judgment, said crackers may not be used at any time in silence zones: at least 100 metres around hospitals, educational institutions, courts and religious places.	Supreme Court of India
How loud crackers get	The Animal Welfare Board of India says firecracker explosions can exceed 150 decibels; the RSPCA puts fireworks at 120 to 175 decibels.	Animal Welfare Board of India
Animals and crackers	Tying firecrackers to animals is punishable under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960; the AWBI asks people to report it to the police or an animal welfare organisation.	Animal Welfare Board of India

How do you prepare a dog for Diwali?

Choose a safe haven early
A quiet room or crate your dog already likes, set up weeks before Diwali, with bedding and something that smells of you.
Train ahead
Play firework recordings too quietly to cause fear and pair them with treats, raising the volume gradually. Training takes months and works best with the other steps.
Mask the sound on the night
Close windows and curtains, play music or the TV at a comfortable volume, and take your dog to the safe room before the noise starts.
Reward calm
Owners rated a high-value treat after each bang, and relaxation on cue, as the most effective techniques.
Check the ID
A collar tag with your current number and, ideally, a microchip with up-to-date details, in case your dog bolts.
Ask your vet early about medicine
Any calming medicine is prescription-only and should be tried before the night. Never give human medicines to pets without your vet's approval.

Why are firecrackers so frightening for dogs and cats?

The noise is loud, sudden and unpredictable, it goes on for days, and a pet cannot know it will stop.

Fear of fireworks is common. Surveys put it at 26% of dogs in Finland, 41% in a UK survey and 52% in an international survey that included India, and noise sensitivity was the most common anxiety trait in a study of 13,700 Finnish dogs. Most dogs in the international survey developed the fear in their first year, and over a quarter of owners said it had got worse over time.

Frightened animals tremble, whimper, pant, pace, hide or try frantically to find safety, which can lead to injuries, and a noise phobia can lead to panic and escape attempts. Some show only small signs, such as lip licking, yawning or a tucked tail. Fear of fireworks goes closely with fear of thunder and gunshots, and Merck notes that noise phobia often occurs with separation distress, so a dog left alone on Diwali night has two fears at once.

India's calendar makes it harder. Crackers start before Diwali and carry on after it, and Kali Puja, weddings, cricket wins and New Year add more nights through the year. Most fearful dogs in the international survey had recovered by the next morning, but 12% took up to a week and more than 3% took several weeks or months.

How far ahead should you start preparing for Diwali?

The earlier the better. Training works over months; the den and the ID take a weekend.

Months before
Start sound training: very quiet firework recordings paired with treats or play, raised slowly over many sessions. Training puppies and non-fearful adults this way was highly effective at preventing later fear. PLOS ONE (2019)study
Four to six weeks before
See your vet if your pet panicked last year. Any medicine is prescription-only and should be trialled before the festival, not on the night. PDSA
Two to three weeks before
Set up the den in a spot your pet already likes to hide, and let it get used to the room. PDSA
The week before
Check that the collar tag has your current number and that the microchip details are up to date. PDSA
Each festival evening
Walk dogs while it is still light, feed early, and be home before the crackers start. Bring cats in before dark. PDSA
The days after
Watch how quickly your pet settles. Tell your vet if the fear lasts after the fireworks stop, and plan training for next year. PLOS ONE (2019)study

How do you set up a safe room in a flat?

Pick the quietest room away from the road and the balcony, ideally one with a small window or none.

A den where your pet already likes to hide, with bedding and an item that smells of you. PDSA
Windows shut and curtains or blinds drawn, to muffle the bangs and hide the flashes. PDSA
Music, the TV or white noise at a comfortable volume to mask sudden bangs. PDSA
Balcony doors, main doors and any gaps your pet could squeeze through closed and checked: frightened pets try to escape. Merck Veterinary Manual
Water, a chew or a food puzzle, and for cats a litter tray close to the hiding place. PDSA
For cats, several hiding places at different heights, such as a high shelf, under a bed or a covered box. PDSA
Favourite toys in the den, and the den open at all times, including when you are out. RSPCA (England and Wales)
Someone at home, if you can manage it, on the main nights. RSPCA (England and Wales)

What should you do on the loudest nights?

Your calm is the most useful thing in the room.

Do

Keep to normal routines for meals and bedtime as far as you can. PDSA
Comfort your pet if it comes to you for reassurance, and stay calm yourself. PDSA
Reward calm behaviour with a high-value treat after each bang. PLOS ONE (2019)study
Let a pet that wants to be alone stay in its den. PDSA
Keep your dog on a lead even for a quick toilet trip in the building compound. PDSA

Don’t

Do not punish or scold a frightened pet. PDSA
Do not take your dog out to watch the crackers, or to a puja or party where crackers are being burst. PDSA
Do not pull a cat out of hiding, pick it up or shut it in one room. PDSA
Do not try to 'get it used to it' by exposing your pet to loud bangs: vets do not recommend flooding. Merck Veterinary Manual
Do not give any human medicine or sedative that has not been prescribed for your pet. Merck Veterinary Manual

How do cats cope with Diwali?

Fearful cats hide, crouch, flatten their ears or may spray, and a New Zealand survey found cats more likely to hide and cower than dogs. Many eat less, try to escape or go to the toilet in the house while the noise goes on. Keep your cat indoors after dark, with windows, doors and any cat flap shut, and check balconies, store rooms and cupboards before you close them.

Give your cat several hiding places it already likes, high up, under a bed or in a covered box, with a litter tray and water nearby. Don't shut it in one room, pick it up or pull it out of hiding. Keep to its normal routine, and let your vet decide on any medicine. Speak to your vet if your cat is still scared after the fireworks, or suddenly becomes fearful.

Which Diwali beliefs make a pet's fear worse?

You may have read
Comforting a scared dog rewards the fear.
Myth
What the sources say
PDSA advises comforting a pet that comes to you for reassurance. What matters is staying calm yourself. PDSA
You may have read
A calming collar or diffuser will sort it out.
Myth
What the sources say
In a large owner survey, pheromone, herbal and homeopathic products did no better than a placebo, and a review found too little evidence for pheromones. Use them, if at all, alongside the other steps. PLOS ONE (2019)study
You may have read
He will get used to it if he hears enough of it.
Myth
What the sources say
In an international survey, about a third of owners of fearful dogs saw no change over time and about a quarter said the fear had worsened. Vets advise gradual training at volumes the dog barely notices, never flooding with loud noise. PLOS ONE (2019)study
You may have read
Cats are not bothered by crackers.
Myth
What the sources say
Cats often show fear by hiding and cowering, which is easy to miss. A New Zealand survey found them more likely to hide than dogs. New Zealand Veterinary Journal (2010)study
You may have read
A little of my own sleeping tablet will calm her.
Myth
What the sources say
Never give human medicines to pets without your vet's approval. Any calming medicine is prescription-only and should be tried before the night. Merck Veterinary Manual

When is firecracker fear an emergency?

Most frightened pets settle once the noise stops. These situations need action now.

If Your dog has bolted through a door or gate
Search at once, tell your society guards and neighbours, and contact local shelters and vets. A tag and an up-to-date microchip are what bring dogs home. PDSA
If Your pet injured itself trying to escape: a cut paw, a broken nail, a fall from a balcony
Keep it calm and contained and go to the nearest 24-hour vet. Frantic escape attempts can cause serious injuries. RSPCA (England and Wales)
If Non-stop panting, drooling, trembling or pacing for hours, with no sign of settling
Call your vet for advice. A pet in that state on the first night of the festival needs a plan for the rest of the week. Merck Veterinary Manual
If A frightened cat straining in the litter tray or passing little or no urine
Go to a 24-hour vet now. The RSPCA describes a stressed cat that needed an emergency visit for a suspected bladder blockage. RSPCA (England and Wales)
If Still anxious, hiding or off food days after the fireworks stop
Talk to your vet. Most dogs recover by the next morning, so lasting fear needs attention before the next festival. PLOS ONE (2019)study
If Someone ties crackers to an animal or throws them at street dogs
This is punishable under the PCA Act, 1960. Report it to the police or an animal welfare organisation. Animal Welfare Board of India

Should you stay home, go away or get a sitter over Diwali?

The least stressful plan keeps your pet somewhere familiar, with company, on the loudest nights.

Least change
Stay home with your pet
The simplest plan for a noise-phobic pet: a familiar den, someone it trusts, and no journey through crowded, noisy streets. RSPCA (England and Wales)
If you travel
A sitter who stays in your home
If you travel for the festival, your pet keeps its own den and routine, and is not alone when the crackers start. Tell the sitter about the fear in writing.
Plan a trial
Boarding in a sitter's home
Company, but a new place on the noisiest week of the year. A trial stay well before Diwali shows how your pet copes with the change.
Use with care
Drop-in visits only
Usually not enough for a frightened pet on the main nights, because it is alone between visits. Better for calm cats that hide and wait it out. PDSA

Which pets need extra care at Diwali?

Puppies and newly adopted dogs come first. In the international survey most fearful dogs developed the fear in their first year, and training puppies and non-fearful adults to link the noise with good things was highly effective at preventing it. A puppy's first Diwali is a chance to prevent a lifelong fear: quiet play, treats and a familiar person in the den while the crackers go off outside, never a trip out to watch them.

Dogs that already struggle when left alone need company on the main nights, because Merck notes that noise phobia and separation distress often occur together. Owners rated a high-value treat after each bang, and cued relaxation, as the most helpful techniques, each helping in more than two-thirds of cases. The RSPCA adds that fireworks can cause tinnitus and hearing loss as well as fear, and that frightened animals can injure themselves or turn aggressive, so give a scared pet space and handle it gently.

Cats that suddenly become fearful, or are still scared after the season, should see the vet, PDSA advises. Community dogs in your lane have no den to go to; the Animal Welfare Board of India asks people not to burst crackers near animal shelters, parks or homes.

What do the cracker rules mean for a pet owner?

The noise standard and the Supreme Court's night ban are written for people's health, not for animals, but they help pets too. A cracker louder than 125 dB(AI) at 4 metres should not be sold or used, and sound-emitting crackers should not be burst between 10 pm and 6 am. The 2005 judgment also encouraged communities to hold shared firework shows away from homes, instead of crackers in every lane. Check whether your state or city has issued its own order for the year, and raise it with your housing society if crackers are being burst under windows late at night.

The Animal Welfare Board of India notes that tying firecrackers to animals is punishable under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. If you see cruelty, report it to the police or an animal welfare organisation. Our animal cruelty law page explains how complaints work.

What does a Petym sitter do for a noise-phobic pet over Diwali?

When Petym opens in a city, a sitter will follow your pet's plan as you write it, including the den, the routine and any medicine your vet has prescribed, logged as it is given, with a photo update every day of the booking. Write down what your pet does when it is frightened, what calms it, which rooms it hides in, and whether it has ever bolted.

Every Petym sitter completes pet first-aid training before the first booking and has a named 24-hour vet within reach. If your pet is injured or will not settle, the sitter will call you, and in an emergency take it to the nearest 24-hour vet on the city's list. A free meet and greet before the festival lets your pet meet the sitter while you are there. If you are travelling, our festival travel guide covers booking early and what to leave.

Going away soon? Tell us your dates.

A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.

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Questions owners ask

Why is my dog so scared of Diwali crackers?: Crackers are loud, sudden and unpredictable, and can exceed 150 decibels. Fear of fireworks is common, affecting a quarter to a half of dogs in surveys, and most dogs develop it in their first year. It often comes with fear of thunder and can get worse each year without preparation.
Should I leave my dog alone at home on Diwali night?: Try not to. Noise phobia often occurs alongside separation distress, and a frightened dog alone may panic, injure itself or try to escape. Stay home if you can, or arrange for someone your dog knows to be with it in the safe room on the main nights.
Can I give my dog something to calm it for Diwali?: Only what your vet prescribes. Calming medicines are prescription-only, need to be trialled before the festival, and are not right for every pet. Never give a human medicine or sleeping tablet. See your vet four to six weeks before Diwali if your dog panicked last year.
How do I calm a cat during firecrackers?: Keep it indoors after dark with doors, windows and cat flaps shut, give it several familiar hiding places high and low with a litter tray nearby, and leave it alone in its hiding place. Keep to its normal routine. A cat still hiding and not eating a day later should see a vet.
What time are firecrackers banned in India?: The Supreme Court ordered a complete ban on bursting sound-emitting crackers between 10 pm and 6 am in its judgment of 18 July 2005, and earlier said crackers may not be used at any time in silence zones near hospitals, schools, courts and religious places. States and cities can add their own orders.
How loud are firecrackers allowed to be?: Under the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, crackers louder than 125 dB(AI) or 145 dB(C)pk at 4 metres from where they burst may not be made, sold or used, with a lower limit for each cracker in a joined string. The Department of Explosives is responsible for enforcing it.
Will my dog's fear of crackers get better on its own?: Often not. In an international survey, about a third of fearful dogs showed no change over time and about a quarter got worse. Gradual sound training, started months before the festival at volumes the dog barely notices and paired with treats, helps many dogs. Training puppies early was highly effective at preventing the fear.
What should I tell a pet sitter about Diwali?: Tell them, in writing, that your pet is afraid of crackers, how it shows fear, where the den is, what calms it, whether it has ever bolted, and any medicine your vet prescribed with the instructions. Ask them to keep doors and balcony gates shut and to walk dogs on a lead before dark.

Keep reading

Pet care during festival travelBooking early and what to leave if you travel.
Separation anxiety in dogsNoise fear often comes with separation distress.
Holi safety for pets
Animal cruelty law in India
Pet owner's guide to KolkataKali Puja and the festival calendar.
Pet owner's guide to Delhi

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Sources

Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources

Animal Welfare Board of India: Message for a compassionate and eco-friendly Deepavali (29 October 2024) (opens in a new tab)checked 17 October 2026
Merck Veterinary Manual: Behavior problems in dogs (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
Merck Veterinary Manual: Behavior problems of dogs (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
Merck Veterinary Manual: How drugs are given to animals (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
Merck Veterinary Manual: Planning for travel with pets (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
Merck Veterinary Manual: Behavior problems of cats (opens in a new tab)checked 17 October 2026

Show all 23 sourcesShow fewer

RSPCA (England and Wales): Fireworks: the impact on animals (opens in a new tab)checked 17 October 2026
RSPCA (England and Wales): Fireworks and pets (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
RSPCA Australia: How should I care for my pets during fireworks displays? (opens in a new tab)checked 17 October 2026
PDSA: Dogs and fireworks (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
PDSA: Cats and fireworks (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
Blue Cross: Dogs and fireworks (read in a web-archive copy) (opens in a new tab)checked 17 October 2026
University of Bristol: News release on dogs' fear responses to noises (2013) (opens in a new tab)checked 17 October 2026
UK Office for Product Safety and Standards: Noise testing of fireworks: final report (2023) (opens in a new tab)checked 17 October 2026
International Cat Care: Stress in cats (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
International Cat Care: Anxious cats (opens in a new tab)checked 17 October 2026
Nagaland Pollution Control Board: Noise standards for fire-crackers: Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, Schedule I, serial 89 (G.S.R. 682(E), 5 October 1999, amended by G.S.R. 640(E), 16 October 2006) (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
Supreme Court of India: Judgment of 18 July 2005 in W.P.(C) No. 72 of 1998, In Re: Noise Pollution, restricting use of loudspeakers (with the interim order of 27 September 2001) (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
Animal Welfare Board of India: The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, as amended in 1982 (AWBI's copy) (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
PLOS ONE (2019): Not a one-way road: severity, progression and prevention of firework fears in dogs (opens in a new tab)Peer-reviewed study · checked 17 October 2026
New Zealand Veterinary Journal (2010): Owners' perceptions of fear of fireworks in dogs and cats (opens in a new tab)Peer-reviewed study · checked 17 October 2026
Scientific Reports (2020), University of Helsinki: Prevalence, comorbidity and breed differences in canine anxiety in 13,700 Finnish pet dogs (opens in a new tab)Peer-reviewed study · checked 17 October 2026
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (2010): Systematic review of the use of pheromones for undesirable behavior in cats and dogs (abstract read) (opens in a new tab)Peer-reviewed study · checked 17 October 2026