JOIN USWorries over pet food supplies
Pet parents are struggling to find meat and diet food for their pets. Some pet stores and veterinary clinics are open, but with restrictions on movements being strict, getting there is not easy.
Jeromi George, corporate counsellor, found it difficult to find meat for Chloe, her Labrador. “My friend had to purchase the meat in her area and then Dunzo it to me. Even though we have trained her to have home food, meat is an important part of the diet. We have some stocked up, hopefully, we’ll be able to find more,” Jeromi tells Metrolife.
Bharath, an employee of pet food manufacturer Royal Canin tells Metrolife that things are easing up. “We have got vehicle passes from the police commissioner so we are able to provide stocks to pet stores. We have enough to last for six months, including special diet food,” he says.
His only concern is the limited timing of the stores. He explains, “Not every shop has the permission to keep their store open and those that are functional are only available for certain hours. As suppliers, we will also have to work according to their timings.”
Prithvi Jayakaran, owner of Glenands Pet Stores, is worried about what will happen when the stock of imported foods runs out. “There are certain brands pets are used to if they are following a special diet. Most of those items are imported,” he says.
In the case of cats, he says it’s impossible to feed them home food once they are used to a dry food diet. “It’s going to be really difficult in vegetarian homes. Both parents and pets are going to find it very challenging,” he adds.
Clinics mostly shut
Most pet clinics aren’t operational. Sometimes pet parents have to travel to another area to see a vet, which becomes a problem as they may not have a curfew pass.
Dr Lohith HD at Bangalore Pet Hospital says he encourages parents to make an appointment before visiting. “We are open only for emergencies and even then we encourage parents to call before they come. It’s important for us to maintain social distancing and take care of each other during this time,” he says. He is also encouraging parents to find alternative food options for their pets, “just in case there is a shortage.” “It will be difficult but training them and figuring out which recipe works for them will come handy in the future,” he says.
Online consultation
Amid the lockdown, Bengaluru-based startup called Floap has launched online consultations with nutritionists, behaviourists, trainers, groomers and other pet care providers.
Pet parents can contact the helplines 73490 61004/5/6 via calls and text.
Feeding the strays
Many pet lovers in the city have been feeding the street dogs for a long time. However, this has been interrupted by the lockdown as well.
Volunteers are stepping out to feed the streeties. Bismi A, owner of Dumas Bakes N Meals, a pet bakery, has been feeding dogs for two weeks now. She took to Facebook to share her story.
The post says, “Every night we come back dead tired but hearts filled with joy. We also went back and connected with some of the dogs we used to feed...we had a happy reunion. The downside is that our expenses have skyrocketed. The number of dogs stands somewhere between 350 to 400.”
The team is surviving on contributions from friends and the animal-lovers community.