Going on a holiday? Your dogs will feel at home in these pet motels ……Mansi Choksi I TNN
Mumbai: He holds the wooden door slightly ajar and peeps out of the opening while blocking the space with his foot to stop half-a-dozen excited pooches from running out. Give me a minute, we just have so many of them right now because of the summer vacation, he pleads with a frazzled look and shuts the door. After hurriedly packing some of them off in a room and leashing the temperamental ones, he opens the door.
Orange and yellow walls, a bright red sofa set, a chic centre table and around 30 dogs of all sizes, shapes, colours and breeds: some napping under an armchair, some wagging their tails while seated comfortably on a sofa, some carefully surveying the floor, some barking to get attention, some whining to be pampered and others maintaining a tight vigil near the window.
Borivli resident Calvin Benedict cuddles a hazelnut brown Cocker Spaniel while skimming through a hefty blue file containing the name, particulars, diets and specific requirements of each dog. His colleague James Nazareth scrubs a Golden Retriever in a blue bath tub. In an adjoining room, Jamess wife attends to cats, parrots, lovebirds and even guinea pigs.
Benedict and Nazareth, like many others in the city, have converted their love for dogs into a full-time profession and are making good money during the summer vacation.
The two are owners of Royal Kennel, a pet motel, where one can leave their furry friends while out on holiday. They charge around Rs 150 a day depending on the size and requirements of the animals and offer customised meals, take the pets on regular walks in addition to offering pick-up and drop services.
For those who need to leave their pets behind for as long as six months to a year, the two can accommodate the animals at their Karjat farm. I dont get bored for even a moment in the 24 hours of a day because this is what I love doing, smiles Benedict, who has been providing temporary boarding facilities for over 20 years.
The duo doesnt leash the animals unless one creates a nuisance for the other. We lock the doors of the front gate of the building and let the dogs loose for them to play during the evening, says Benedict.
Shivaji Park resident Harshad Patil, an avid dog lover and former trainer, provides a home for dogs at his house for around Rs 250 a day.
I avoid taking dogs that are not friendly because I dont want one attacking another, he smiles, adding that he particularly doesnt admit Dobermans because he believes they are unpredictable.
Holding a photograph of himself with his dog Johny, who he lost a few years ago, Patil says he doesnt think he can ever get a dog of his own again. The loss was unbearable. In fact, I get very upset when dogs who have lived with me for a few days have to go back to their owners, he says.
For these first-of-their-kind pet motels, word of mouth is the marketing mantra. Either a client refers my name or a vet refers it to his clients, says Patil, adding that the doctors do not take a cut for this. Once they come here, they keep coming back, says Benedict.
Currently, Patils residence is home to two rather high-profile dogsMango, who belongs to the head of a multinational company, and Simba, who belongs to the additional commissioner of income-tax.
According to Patil, his clients trust him because he has a background in dog training. Patil, who has housed around 125 dogs till date, takes down the requirements in writing, including medicines required, if a dog is suffering from an illness.
Dog lover Jacob Zachariah, who was earlier an investment banker, has fitted around six kennels in a 12-acre orchard in Gholwad near Dahanu to offer canine residents a 270-degree view of nature. Zachariah believes that when the owner heads for a vacation, a dog too should be given one. A dog, whos mostly kept indoors, should be allowed to run free at least once in a while, he says.
Samir Rajadhyaksha (36), who left a banking job for his passion for dogs, has named his lodging, boarding and training facility for pets, comprising close to 17 kennels at Marve Road in Malad, after his dog Zinu. Dogs and cats are treated to three meals a day, four walks, vitamin syrups and regular check-ups. In addition, they can play with rings, see-saws and platforms to keep themselves busy.
When Zinu was alive, I wanted to go on a holiday but didnt know where to leave him. I then decided that I will start a boarding facility for those who love their dogs like their children, says Rajadhyaksha.
FOUR-STAR COMFORT: Dogs get ample care at the pet motels run by Calvin Benedict in Borivli (left) and Harshad Patil in Dadar (above)