JOIN USAnimal lovers go to any extent to take good care of their pets. They also make sure that their pets are secure while they are away on a vacation or when at work.
‘Pet-Sitters India’, a Facebook group, that was started a few years ago, takes care of the needs of the pets when the owners are not in town or when they are sick.
The group has 1,000 members who have signed up for this service. Started by 23-year-old Vaishnavi Prasad, the group has also 30 active volunteers, who are willing to look after the pet.
The concept, that was started in Bangalore, is now active in Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Hyderabad.
The clubs that are part of the group include ‘Waggles India’, ‘Pampered Paws’ and ‘Ferns ‘n Petals’.
“‘Pet-Sitters India’ is a community created to connect like-minded animal lovers.
It is a forum where you reach out to people who are willing to look after your pet either in your place or theirs depending on the convenience. And you wouldn’t have to worry about them while your on a holiday,” informs Nandini Jayprakash, a member of ‘Pet-Sitters India’.
The group has been active from 2010 and has been growing in terms of volunteers and requests from pet lovers.
“The group was started for dog lovers. It is to make sure that their pets are kept away from kennels when the owners go out of station. This is to avoid the stress a dog undergoes in a kennel or an unnatural space,” adds Kamal Raj, a member of the group.
He says, “The best part is that we leave our dogs with those who are dog lovers themselves and most often, they have dogs of their own. The only concern is whether the customer’s dog can get along with the volunteer’s dog.
But there is nothing like leaving your dog in a home, where people know about dogs.”
Most of the people with pets feel insecure about leaving their pets in a kennel while they travel.
They are worried about the pets being tied and put in cages and not being fed properly.
This is why many of them sign up for clubs such as this one.
Ankita Naurial, volunteer, says, “I registered last week, and since I have off on week-ends, I can look after the dogs. Being a dog lover myself, I feel it is great to be with them.
When a person brings his/her dog to my place, I ask them about the time they take the dogs for walk and the kind of food they provide.”
There are also other clubs that take care of pets while the owner is away or busy like ‘Pampered Paws’.
“It is located in a residential area. It has been a year now since I started this. We charge based on the type of care the pets require,” says Vijaylakshmi, the owner.
Besides looking after the pets, there are other facilities that these groups offer such as swimming pools.
“There is a swimming pool that I rent out as well because some people want their pets to play in the water.
So it is an addition to my pet-sitting programme,” adds Violet Pereira, owner of ‘Pet Boarding’ in Indiranagar.