Let’s say you’ve had a great evening out, or are enjoying an exotic vacation. Even as you revel, you know that, the only thing on your pet’s mind is your arrival back home. If only you could treat your pet to something nice!
That’s just what we have in Hyderabad now. The city is increasingly becoming pet friendly, with a plethora of services at the pet parents’ disposal.
Srivatsava Gorthy, a Hyderabadi based in California, has started a pet taxi service, Unikorn. Sean Thomas, the programme manager, explains, “Cab drivers are usually apprehensive about customers with pets because they shed fur or there are chances of the pet soiling the seats. Our services help you get your pet to the vet or anywhere else. Some people have said that they’ve been waiting for something like this.” The service, priced at seven rupees per kilometre, is rather economical. “We have had car owners who prefer this service, just so that they don’t have to clean up after,” adds Sean.
Sean, from a pet taxi service in the city with a customer, Dodo.
The city has also seen a rise in cafés that allow pets, like the Autumn Leaf Café in Jubilee Hills, and the Coffee Cup in Secunderabad. The latest addition to this bandwagon is a café primarily meant for pet dogs — Café De Loco, founded by Roochira and Hemant Sakarwal. The open space, with eye-level seating for pet parents and their dogs, was inaugurated by Amala Akkineni. “A few months ago, while on a vacation with my family, I started weeping on the flight because all of us were off to have fun, while Pluto (her pet Shih Tzu) was in a homestay. I wanted something special for pets, so that they too can enjoy an evening and socialise with other dogs,” says Roochira, who is looking forward to host birthday parties for pets. The dog park at Necklace Road is another paradise for canines. What started in 2013 with just about three to four regulars, now boasts of 200 pets. Sunday mornings are the busiest, but the park is open on weekdays too.
A puppy at a pet-friendly café in Hyderabad
Muskaan, of a pet grooming service, highlights how pet grooming has picked up pace in the last three years. “Stylish haircuts like spikes and mohawks and body massages are popular.
