Spa'nimal instincts: Pet loving

For pet-parents on the go, here’s a respite – Abhishek Shetty, Bengaluru-based entrepreneur and dog lover, has rolled out a rather interesting initiative that pampers your cuddly paws like none other! Petsort, his recent ‘ animals only’ venture, aims to give your cuddly paws a through dose of fitness and home-like-care for hours on end, when you’re away. We get chatty with the enterprising youngster who tells us more...

“Bengaluru is a pet loving city. But we also seem oblivious to many aspects of care taking. For instance, people buy a pet of an exotic breed, but don’t know how to take care of them. All they want is a fancy dog. I know owners who have huskies, malamutes and the like which need a lot of running and exercise to drain out their energy. And locking them up within the four walls or inside a roomy kennel with occasional grooming is not the answer! Did you know that exercise and nutrition are as important to pets as it is to us? The fact that a lot of us fail to cater to the needs of our pets pushed me into starting this,” states the 28- year-old entrepreneur who also runs an event-management firm.

While the idea seems thoughtful enough, didn’t the thought of a premium home-stay for pets seem like a gamble? To which, he quickly responds, “I think as an entrepreneur, the first rule of the book is to take risks. I believe an idea thrives on the level of boldness and the degree to which you’re willing to bend. We’ve all, at some point in our lives, wondered where to keep our pets when we were away. As a person, I’m caring and compassionate, so this is something I  believe in.”

With another full fledged event management firm to also look after,  does dabbling with two ventures take a toll on him? Or is there a secret recipe for success that he vouches by? “I love both the things I’m doing. If you are truly passionate about something, you will be engrossed and love the journey instead of just looking at the time or waiting for the weekend,” he pipes.

On days when he wants to score a few hours off and unwind; it’s family time for the busy body. “As most working professionals, I’m hardly left with any time. But when I do, it’s got to be spending quality time with family, Zack a (Syberian huskey)  and brandy (a Shihtzu)  on vacations or just lazying around at home with them.  I’m an an avid reader and also love  painting,” he reveals.  

Quiz him about what’s next, and pat comes the response, “ I’m glad to see things work, and it’s because of the city and it’s welcoming people.  On the work front, I’d like to  create an indoor snow world just for pets because there are lot of breeds in Bengaluru, which are from the Arctic.  I have seen how dogs jump and play in the snow and  the very sight makes me very happy!  I think in a  year from  now, Bengaluru will be the first city to have a snow world just for dogs.”