Tales of pawsitivity

We have humanised our pets, who are now as precious and precocious as our kids. An increasing number of urban households, in search of solace and companionship, are making space for pets in their lives.

Prateek at work during a grooming session 

One only has to look into the eyes of a pet to know just how deep love can run. Their love is pure and their needs are simple — food and kindness. Pet parenting in urban India, however, is a more complex tale.

Pets today are Instagram celebs, have their own social media pages and dedicated fan following. Their parenting goes beyond neighbourhood walks — grooming, training, counselling and fashion — all are par for the course.

Evidently, we've humanised our pets, who now are as precious and precocious as our kids! The concept of pet parenting is a firm reality in urban India. As family sizes shrink, an increasing number of urban households, in search of solace and companionship, are making space for pets in their lives. And with this surge, comes an entire industry offering a range of products and services to cater to every demand.

A pawsome industry

Consider this: India has one of the fastest growing pet industries, expected to be worth nearly $400 million this year! Entrepreneurs like Santosh Pasupaleti, founder of an online pet store, have quit high-flying jobs to dive into the vast world of pet care. Santosh, who previously worked at giant MNCs, returned to India with his family and pets to set up shop.

“Due to lack of proper marketing, pet parents here are quite ignorant about a lot of issues, notably protein levels in packaged foods and the use of supplements needed to keep pets healthy in the backdrop of rising genetic illnesses,” he said. In 2018, Santosh set up partnerships with brands in the US and Europe.

Asked which pets are most sought after in India, Santosh was quick to say that Indians favour dogs most. “One of the reasons is because you can't really flaunt your cat! There is also an increasing demand for bird and hamster products. A small (but growing) segment has rabbits as house pets in India. We work closely with NGOs like CARE, as we support pet adoptions, which is an aspect of pet care that is on the upswing,” he added.

Indies are the new cool

Incidentally, Bengaluru is one of the most pet-friendly cities and pet adoption has gained much ground, thanks to concerted efforts by NGOs and individuals, which includes adoption awareness drives and even fashion shows for adopted pets! India has good laws in place for the care of animals, and citizens of Bengaluru are a proactive lot watching out for any case of injustice. However, implementation of these laws often lacks teeth. For example, the existing Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, only stipulates maximum penalty of Rs 50 for any act of cruelty against animals, including beating, kicking, torturing, starving or mutilating an animal. Residents who question pet bans are sometimes illegally evicted by apartment associations, citing bylaws, and those who feed strays are intimidated against doing so. Despite all this, adoptions have found favour and legal awareness too is increasing.

Animal lover and key member of Cubbon Park Canines, Priya Chetty-Rajagopal says, “It's heartening to see this huge lifestyle change among pet lovers in Bengaluru. People who use fancy cars are walking their Indies in Cubbon Park! They're absolutely besotted parents. Indies are the new cool and a lot of people who had a dog earlier, are now adopting a rescue or an Indie. Globally, the #Adoptdon'tshop campaign has been around for 50 years or so, but awareness in India has grown only in the last few years. The campaign came about for emotional and financial reasons, but at the heart of it is the issue of pedigree, because people are fascinated by pedigreed dogs/cats. However, what we're seeing today is that there is one adoption for every two or three purchases! The dog park inside Cubbon Park is a good measure of this shift.”

Adoptions and fostering are seen as sustainable and admirable choices that prevent pet abandonment and provide a home to a pet. Priya is quick to add, “Your decision to bring home a pet should never be based on what your child demands, for very often, such decisions end badly for the pet. Research thoroughly before you welcome one into your lives.”

Mini Vasudevan, co-founder, Coimbatore's Humane Animal Society, and recipient of the national Nari Shakti Puraskar for her work in animal welfare, feels strongly against abandonment. “The crux of the matter is maintenance. People abandon pets when they find it difficult to maintain. Abandonment happens across breeds, but the ones that get severely affected are what we call pure breeds. Their immunity is low and they need good maintenance and medical care, which is expensive. People who relocate also tend to give up pets. We, at HAS, are a shelter for animals that don't have anyone. And we are not easy on families who want to give up pets, though we do help genuine cases. Our adoption procedure is also strict and includes complete vaccination, follow-ups and thorough counselling for families about the responsibility of taking a pet home,” said Mini, who is a vocal supporter of pet adoptions.

Pamper the pooches

When dog groomer Prateek Bilagali started his grooming venture eight years ago, it was a first-of-its-kind complete grooming service for pets in the comfort of their own homes. Prateek's pampering of pooches of all varieties has won him many furry hearts. He felt it would be unfair to judge someone for their choice of pet — whether Indie or pedigree, purchased or adopted. “The problem, though, is with uninformed pet owners. Usually, children want a particular dog. Parents simply log in to websites to buy puppies. This encourages backyard breeders who try to make a killing by pushing demand through supply. If a breeder has a female dog, he appoints middlemen just to take the litters off his hands and these middlemen sell puppies for cheap prices. People need to ask themselves first if they need a dog, what would be a good fit, and if they could take care of a pet for its lifespan. Huskies and St Bernards, for example, are not suited for Indian climate conditions, yet we see them,” he rued.

All pets need good care. And Prateek strongly advocates certification for groomers and trainers so that they learn the ethics of their skill, along with the anatomy of pets. He himself completed a certification course organised by the Singapore Kennel Club. “In other countries, the pet industry is highly regulated, unlike in India where we do not have a framework for these things though there is no dearth of good service providers.”

Anand Vishwanath, 'pack leader' at a pet boarding service centre, feels that everything about pets is a demand-supply thing. “When people humanise their pets, they want quality in everything. And this extends to all breeds today, Indies, rescues and adopted pets included. The number of pet owners in India has risen by 25 per cent, according to industry reports. If you leave the right and wrong aside, this is a huge space for service providers. To cater to increasing demands, we now offer consultations and counselling to prospective pet families, and also train people in skill sets that help them grow as professional, individual service providers. Yes, there is a darker side to the pet industry. Ultimately, it's people who can make the difference through their choices. If you must buy a pet, make a promise to care for it till its end and not abandon or mistreat it,” he said. “Everything that was informal till two decades ago, is a service today. I would walk my friends' dogs or pet sit when their families travelled and vice-versa. Now, this is a professional service as is boarding, training, relocating, travelling and pet birthday parties,” he added.

Pet-friendly resorts

Talking of services, a trend that is catching up is travelling with pets. Resorts and restaurants are welcoming muddy paws into their midst and guests love it! Sakleshpur has one such homestay.

Being a pet parent himself, Chirag Shambu set up the place to see how his own dogs behave with guest dogs. About 80 per cent of his guests are pet owners. “That is my USP. We have on our property seven rescued dogs from CUPA and CARE, besides two buffaloes, a retired horse, geese and fowl. It is a safe haven for my rescues and guests. I can accommodate up to 25 people at one time,” said Chirag. Places like Chirag's give people the option of leash-free holidays with their pets, a welcome change indeed.

Change happens when changemakers take the reins. Like Deven Baheti and his fiancée Sonam Singh, who run the only cafe in south India that houses pets — 23 dogs and two cats, all strays or rescues! Nestled in upscale Banjara Hills in Hyderabad, this cafe aims to create and sustain awareness about strays. In 2018, they had a record 74 adoptions and they follow strict adoption protocols too. An aeronautical engineer by profession, Deven's act of kindness in rescuing a puppy stuck in a sewage pipe, while on a holiday few years back, changed the course of his life! “I set up Deven's Hope organisation to rescue animals. The response was overwhelming and soon, I started the cafe for people to come and spend time with our rescues. We've expanded to include a pet pool and boarding guest pets, besides launching our own brand of ready-to-eat pet foods,” he said.

Feline feels

A leash-free environment, a space for pet parents to organise birthdays for their fur buddies, a menu that keeps pets in mind — all these have made the cafe a must-visit for pet lovers in Hyderabad. “It's part of our lifestyle now to include pets in every sphere of our lives, whether it is eating out or travelling,” he quipped.

It's not just dogs that get the attention, but cat parents are leaving no stone unturned to take care of their feline beauties too. Cat litter boxes, comfy beds, collars, leashes and treats — are all available in stores. Take Apoorva Walters and family, for example. They have always had cats, mostly strays or adopted. “Cats also know how to give love. One of our cats follows us around like a puppy when we're at home! We pamper them sometimes with store-bought treats, but they're pretty low maintenance compared to dogs,” she said.

With pet parents trying to outdo themselves, it is not unusual for many to seek out a Dr Dolittle in their midst to figure out if their pet is actually happy! Animal communicator Janhavie Bhosale from Mumbai gives us a sneak peek into her work. “People have been 'talking' to pets for a long time and communication with animals is an extension of that understanding. Animals will not start speaking your language. But, humans who tune themselves to their energy waves, can receive a range of visual, auditory, sensory and kinesthetic signals from animals. Interestingly, rescues offer better perspectives during communication. During transition, they even communicate to help their pet parents prep for the final goodbye and hold on till the family is ready,” she explained.

Animal communication helps to understand pets better, sort out behavioural and health problems and find lost pets. “Animals are very simple spiritual beings. They don't wear masks. To understand them you need sincere intent and they will let you into their beautiful world,” said Janhavie. And that's really enough, is it not?