Read more details to find out how unsafe it is to colour dye your pet’s fur  and why this latest Instagram trend is extremely unhealthy for dogs and cats.

It’s strange how quirky fashion trends can be very demanding when applied on animals. One latest not so welcomed fashion trend trotting in animal kingdom is dying the pet’s fur. The internet is flooded with photos of pink colored Pomeranians and Chow-Chows closely resembling a Panda bear.

[Image Credit: Snigdha Ahuja]

French model Lia Catreux is a proud owner of Fluffy, a Pomeranian with a huge fan following on Instagram. And this four legged wannabe model made its debut at a Paris (Fall/Winter collection) Fashion show, walking the runway for our very own Manish Arora. So far so good! But the one thing that drew flak from animal activists and lovers is the unnatural colored coat of Fluffy- the Doggy.

Sadly social media trends are being blindly followed as the new role model in today’s day and age. Poor dogs are being succumbed to hair dying by the not so discerning pet owners all across the globe.

Animal activist Amrita Phool Gujral talks about the growing trend of colored canines participating in pet shows. She is of the opinion that a pet is a member of the family and not an object of ostentation! Natural coat of dogs is beautiful in itself, their natural hair color ranges from white, chocolate, golden, auburn, black and similar shades & tints.

Delhi based veterinarian Dr. Vijay Kumar is strictly against the use of colors on pets. Another vet Dr. Rita Goyle stresses on the hazardous nature of even the herbal dyes and the damage they can cause on the coat and skin of the animal over a period of time.

Therefore we can conclude that there is nothing known as an organic/dog friendly hair dye. Even Herbal dyes are not 100% safe.

The CEO of PETA India Poorva Joshipura expresses her take on the subject, “Dying an animal’s fur can cause the animal stress and can lead to complications or allergic reactions that may put the animal’s health in danger. Dogs and cats love their human companions, regardless of how we look. Why not extend the same kindness to them? Animals are gorgeous as they are”.

Let’s take a look at a few reasons why dyeing animal hair/fur is a torture not worth subjecting your pet to:

• It is medically proven that there are no 100% safe dyes for animals. Chemicals found in hair color such as hydrogen peroxide and ammonia, are very strong chemicals that can cause allergic reactions in dogs/pets. Hair coloring is a human fad and pets such as cats & dogs should be kept outside this ambit. Not just skin allergies but dyed hair can pose a potential threat to the pet’s overall well being; dogs and cats constantly lick their fur/coat and in the process ingest the harmful chemical laden dye. Don’t be fooled by what some city based spas and dog grooming parlors call ‘dog friendly dyes’ to promote their services of hair streaking/coloring for canines.

• Humans have reported burning sensations and skin irritation upon using even the best of hair dyes. Therefore it is important to note that a dog’s skin is much more sensitive when compared to that of humans. And coloring a dog’s hair means that his entire body will have to be exposed to toxic coloring and in the course dyes can get into the ears, eyes and even the mouth of the pet. If the dog swallows the chemical dye due to licking its coat, it can lead to vomiting, nausea and diarrhea among other critical illnesses.

• Why subject the dogs to a process that is beyond their comprehension. Human beings like to experiment with their looks & adopt various cosmetic procedures such as hair-dying to increase their aesthetic appeal. But dogs don’t understand this concept of beautifying oneself unnaturally. Exposing a dog to such an abnormal procedure means exposing it to psychological trauma.

Potato, Bean and Sweet-corn a chow-chow trio owned by a Singapore national Meng Jiang are followed by more than two thousand Instagram users simply because they look like pandas and not dogs. This is nothing more than another foolish attempt by the owner to use toxic hair dyes on the mute four legged beings.

Just because these pets can’t voice the discomfort caused, doesn’t validate such an act. Join hands with Petsworld to express displeasure and spread awareness on the negatives of dying animal hair. #Sparethedogcampaign #Perceivepetsasnatureintendedthemtobe

Resource Box: http://www.hindustantimes.com/more-lifestyle/dyeing-your-dog-is-a-dud-idea-experts-disapprove-of-hazardous-trend/story-REMzq25l2bzW23TXI3kGsK.html