Resources for pet parents who have tested positive

Across Bengaluru, many have started stepping up in varied ways to help pooches whose family members have Covid-19

Pet parents who test positive worry about who will take care of their pets while they recuperate. However, many in the city have started stepping up to help the families and their pooches during these tough times.

Boarding facilities

Boarding centres are stepping in to take care of the pets. Many offer pick-up, and a few have even reduced their rates this season. Here are some centres you can reach out to:

Wag-ville, Jakkur

They had offered similar services during the last lockdown and are continuing the same this year. They offer pickup and dropoff. The staff dressed in a PPE kit, wearing double masks and gloves, will pick up the pets from a designated area near the homes of the parents. The dogs get a hot bath and blow dry before going through a temperament check and introducing them to the rest. At the moment they are housing almost 25 dogs of parents who have tested positive. “This time round, parents are leaving the dogs with us longer as the recovery time is also longer. They also want to play it safe. The dogs are also happy getting a vacation,” says Kishan Vasudevan, co-founder.

Contact: 94499 29024.

Keshav R

While Hotel for Dogs on Sarjapur Road may have shut shop, Keshav and his team have continued to offer their services to pets in this time of need. They don’t offer pick up and drop off, and request neighbours, relatives or friends to do the needful. “They don’t get infected, but they could act as a surface. So we wear masks, gloves, and the necessary precautions and give them a warm bath before putting them in a kennel,” he says. The charges are between Rs 600 to Rs 800 per day depending on the breed.

Becky’s Bow Wow House, Amrita Nagar

They provide pick up and drop off and since in many cases it might be an emergency they take in pets on the same day of enquiry. They do require a vaccination chart beforehand.

They charge between Rs 500 to Rs 600, but understanding that many might be going through a financial crisis, they are offering 50 per cent discounts and even the option of free boarding for those who cannot afford it at all. The dogs that comes in are bathed immediately as part of their safety procedure and allowed to come in contact with the other dogs and staff after a couple of hours.

Contact: 78999 14977.

Petboro Pet Resort and Kennels, Varthur

While they don’t have transportation services of their own, they can arrange for the same if needed. They don’t take walk-ins and you can make a booking after you send in some basic details such as the name of the pet, check-in and tentative check-out dates, the latest vaccination details as well as a photo ID proof. Their charges start from Rs 500 for small dogs to Rs 600 for large dogs, which is inclusive of their meals.

Contact: 77604 01162.

Anvis Inc

While they do board pets, transportation will have to be taken care of by the pet parent’s family or friends. Pets are sanitised and monitored in a room for a day before being kept in their kennels or premium cottages as per the pet parents requirement. Parents can book the space over a call, or online. Charges range from Rs 300 to Rs 1,500 depending on the weight of the pet, type of accommodation and food.

Contact: 91484 51003.

Meals

Those with mild symptoms and who don’t need hospitalisation might not need boarding facilities but might need an extra helping hand, and sometimes just having someone ensure that their furry friends are being fed is all you need. Here is a list of some people providing home-cooked meals to pets in the city:

Romy’s Doggy Oota

Sarah J, who has been feeding over 400 streeties, found that she was unable to manage doing so with her salary. In a bid to support her endeavour, she started delivering to other feeders in the city. This time, she is also delivering food to parents who have tested positive. Her rates are extremely reasonable with 1kg of chicken rice costing only Rs 25.

Contact: 79799 13351.

Mindful Whisker

Anamika Nambiar, home chef, has opened her kitchen to not just Covid patients, but for their pets as well. She cooks simple home-cooked meals as per the dietary needs of your pooches and delivers them across the city. She is also open to a flexible payment system depending on your situation. She also offers to walk pets that live in and around Koramangala.

Contact: @themindfulwhisker on Instagram.

Taxi Service

If you want to send your dog to your friends or family instead of a hostel, then you can use the service to make sure your buddy makes it there safely.

Ishvar Pet Cabs

They pick pets from parents who have tested positive and drop them at the desired location. They wipe the dog up at the pickup spot and use their own leash during transportation. The car is sanitised after each drop-off. The price is estimated based on the distance. Due to increasing requests, you will have to place a booking at least a day in advance.

Contact: 82960 55655.

Pet care/ support

Home chef Sreya Vittaldev had taken to Twitter to announce that those who have tested positive and needed help with pet supplies/pet care in the city could reach out to her.

The thread also had many responses from people in the city who have offered to foster pets, walk them or even arranging food based on the requirements.

Contact: @darthdevi on Twitter and Instagram.