Pet boarding houses mushrooming in city lack regulations: Activist

Nithin T, a 29-year-old who works at a private firm, is inconsolable after the loss of his German Shepherd, Max. 

“I had taken Max, who was a little overweight but otherwise healthy, for a grooming session at Pets 101 on April 8. While giving him a bath, they had tied him on a leash. The persons grooming him didn’t realise that the least was tight. I had just stepped out to the entrance. On hearing Max’s cry, I went back and removed the leash. However, Max gave a final gasp and died,” he explained. 

Arunodaya Reddy, owner of Pets 101, said the grooming leash couldn’t kill a dog, as it was thin. “I had worked with Max for a year and we successfully managed to reduce his weight. But when I got him, he was overweight. There could be other related health reasons for Max’s death and it is unfortunate that it happened at my centre. I did ask the family to go in for a post-mortem, which is the only way to find out if there was a fault at our end,” he said. 

With increasing demand for such services, there should be regulations in place, said Antony Rubin, a city-based animal activist. 

“The boarding centres charge between Rs 150 to Rs 1,000 per day, in addition to services such as pick up and drop. Grooming services range from Rs 500 to 2,000. Though the business has picked up, the regulations are still missing, making these centres a backyard business. Moreover, people don’t know whom to approach if their pets are affected. They should start complaining to the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to ensure regulations are drafted,” he concluded.