If you have opened the Swiggy app recently, you might have noticed the new Swiggy Pawlice feature at the bottom. Launched on National Pet Day (April 11), this feature is part of Swiggy’s new pet-friendly policies that’s aimed at helping you find your lost pet. Pet parents welcomed the move, and many also had several questions online about how it works.
My Kolkata delved into the details to find out more about ‘Pawlice’, and also spoke to pet parents to get their perspective on this. Read on…
How Swiggy Pawlice will help find your pet…
Do mention the last location of your pet so that the delivery partners of that area can be alerted Swiggy
In the ‘Featured for You’ section of the Swiggy app, you’ll find the Swiggy Pawlice tab. On clicking on ‘Know more’, it’ll direct you to a page where you can access the ‘Find my pet’ option. This option leads you to a Google form, where you can provide essential details about your pet, helping Swiggy to identify them. You will also need to mention the last location of your pet so that the delivery partners of that area can be alerted.
Process after submitting the Google form
After you submit the form, Swiggy alerts its delivery partners in the specified area mentioned in the form — within a 5km radius — as they are familiar with the neighbourhood. While resting between deliveries, if a delivery partner spots a pet that matches the description, they will notify Swiggy’s dedicated team, who will then inform the pet’s family.
Role of delivery partners in assisting the search
The delivery partners are not expected to fetch or capture the pets. Their role is only to alert the Swiggy desk, which will then alert the pet parents. The company also urges pet parents to notify other organisations in their search for their pets.
Swiggy's delivery network has already been alerted about the initiative and pet parents couldn't be happier Shutterstock
Rewards for the delivery partner
Swiggy Pawlice uses its vast network of delivery partners to assist in tracing lost pets. While it’s not mandatory for them to find the pet and neither is the new feature tied to their performance metrics, Swiggy rewards the delivery partner with a gift hamper worth Rs 5,000 as a token of gratitude for successfully reuniting a pet with its family. Once you get the location, the pet parents will have to reach the spot yourself.
Delivery partners’ training for the Pawlice feature
Swiggy authorities have already informed their delivery network about this initiative. A delivery partner from the Behala area said, “We have been told that we might need to keep an eye out for pets that have run away from home. Nothing has been assigned yet. I think it’s a good initiative because we are always on the move. We can help locate these pets for their owners.”
Speaking about the new feature, Rohit Kapoor, CEO of Swiggy Food Marketplace, said, “As a pet parent myself, I understand the worry and distress that comes with the thought of a missing pet. While I sincerely hope that such an incident never occurs to any fellow pet parent, if it does, Swiggy Pawlice stands ready as a dependable resource to assist them.”
Pet parents speak…
Rupsha and her partner with their cats, Champagne, and T'Challa
The initiative has received appreciation from across India. Rupsha, a pet parent of two cats — Champagne, and T'Challa — is happy too. “Pawlice is indeed a groundbreaking initiative by Swiggy. Their delivery partners travel to interior parts of different localities and with their wide network across the city, it will be easier to track a lost pet. I hope these heroes get rewarded for this,” she said. Rupsha also raised concern about finding cats since they tend to hide when lost, but remains hopeful.
Mayukh’s cats Baby and (right) Kuttush
Resonating the same, cat parent Mayukh Ghosh said, “It is indeed difficult to spot estranged cats but then it will be helpful for elderly people or people living alone. It will be like an additional support to find lost pets.”
Anushka Dey's golden retriever Scotch
Usually when pets are lost, pet parents post on social media and alert the local people. With Swiggy Pawlice, the platform just got expanded and the chances of finding a pet has increased by a certain percentage. Anushka Dey, who is a parent to golden retriever Scotch, threw light on guidelines that Swiggy has not provided with the feature. “While we know that they will help us locate our pets, we don't know if the delivery person will be waiting for the family to reach the location. If not, the dog or cat might run away and it will be a vicious cycle. Little information provided to the pet parents would really help. Otherwise, it seems to be a good initiative. Their policies for their employees are also very good.”
‘Paw-ternity’ policy for Swiggy employees
Swiggy has also introduced a ‘Paw-ternity’ policy for pet parents for their employees Swiggy
Apart from the Pawlice, Swiggy has also introduced a ‘Paw-ternity’ policy for pet parents for their employees. The policy includes there points:
New Pet/Adoption Leave: Employees will receive an additional paid day off (in addition to their annual leave entitlement) to welcome their new companions home. Pet parents may opt for work-from-home during the settling-in period to provide comfort and support to their new family member.
Sick Leave: Pet parents can use their casual or sick leave without hesitation to attend to the needs of their pets. Whether it is for a routine vaccination or accompanying a sick or injured pet to a veterinary appointment, the policy allows employees to take time off if they need to care for their pets.
Bereavement Leave: The bereavement leave will now cover pets, providing employees with the time they need to grieve and recover from the loss.
