After the pandemic era, people have made mega plans for the festivities this year and want to celebrate it like there’s no tomorrow!
With more and more people planning holidays well in advance for this year’s festive season, pet crèches will soon overflow with boarders. Crèches with pre-booking services have closed their bookings weeks before Durga Puja.
Even some of those who will remain in Kolkata have decided to keep their pets at such creches during the Pujas so that they can have a hassle-free outing.
Huge demand
Almost all the pet crèches in the city My Kolkata spoke to have more than 90% booking. “There’s good demand for pet boarding this year. I usually accept boarders after keeping the pet for a day on a trial basis. We notice its behaviour, food pattern and anxiety levels and if we find no issues, only then we accept pets,” said Atreyee Chatterjee, owner of Woofs and Wags, adding that she started receiving requests for this Puja season in July.
Anik Bhattacharya, a proprietor and spokesperson for Tails of Joy, a pet boarding service, said they are fully booked from Panchami to Lakshmi Puja. “We keep a limited number of dogs so that we can give them proper service. We had closed booking about 10 days back because of the high demand,” Bhattacharya added.
Tourism is the prime reason
This sudden demand, according to the crèche owners, is mostly because of the rush in tourism. Pet parents have finally got a perfect window after two years and they are more than eager to utilize it. “Most parents are seeking services for five to 10 days because they are going out of the city and there will be no one to take care of their beloved pets. And there is no better option but to keep the pets with a dependable boarding service,” said Sarmishtha Nath, owner of Tide Tail adding that more than 95% of their clients are availing the services because they would be out of Kolkata.
Moreover, there are people who are keeping their pets for the four days of Puja so they can go pandal-hopping freely. “We also provide daycare services. But it is not recommended as the dogs need time to adjust and daycare services do not give them that time,” said Indrani Thakur, owner of Dogs and Pups resort.
What pet parents say
City-based Bali Sanghvi, an author and educator, is going to Dubai with her family during the Pujas. She has hired the services of Woofs and Wags for her 11-month-old Golden Retriever, MG. “This is the best possible solution. When I chill out in Dubai, I know MG will also have a good time,” Bali added.
The Sanghvi family with their 11-month-old Golden Retriever
Bhawanipore’s Kamalika Chatterjee is going to Kashmir on Ashtami with her husband for a week and has decided to keep their three-year-old Beagle, Luchi, with Tide Tail. “We are going out almost after one-and-a-half years and we wanted it to be special. First, we tried to take Luchi along but then decided otherwise. I am sure she would have a great time here,” Chatterjee added.
What kind of services
The admission process in most crèches, however, is guided by strict rules. Along with the vaccination and deworming certificates, most services would ask for a complete diet chart, details of medical history, behavioural and anxiety issues. “It’s very important for us to know these details before admitting a pet. Each dog has a different diet and habit. So, when they are brought in to stay with us, outside their comfort zone, we must provide them with the same ambience and their usual diet,” said Nath. The cost varies between Rs 500 to 2000 per day, depending on the size of the breed.
