It is a small house similar to others nestled in the by-lanes that lead off East Coast Road. As you approach however, frenzied barks rent the air and its inhabitants, of varying shapes and sizes, peer curiously out — all ready to greet you.
Welcome to the Pets 101 Hotel for dogs — the first of its kind in the city that officially opened on Tuesday.
“We’ve always had dogs and been interested in them,” says Shravan Krishnan, co-founder of this initiative. “And we realised that there were no good kennels in Chennai in which you can safely leave your dog without worrying. That is how this initiative began.”
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“There is often an issue of quality control and accountability in the pet industry,” adds Arunodaya Reddy, the other founder who has also co-founded the Dog Lovers Chennai Group. “I wanted to create a space in which I would be ready to leave my own pet,” he says.
Going by the pristine interiors in soothing shades of blue and white, the large spacious kennels, the air-conditioning, an open field for dogs to exercise in and the infra-red surveillance cameras, this certainly seems like a good place for an animal. “Basically, we wanted to create a place that pets would love to come to.” says Shravan. “The dogs are allowed to be free most of the time, given baths, fed according to schedule and nutritional requirements and encouraged to socialise with other dogs” says Arunodaya. “We have two fulltime employees, a manager and a vet on call to look after them,” he says.
Rajeshwari, a city resident who has just dropped off her cocker spaniel Bambi, says, “I have been waiting for a place like this forever. Bambi is an intrinsic part of our family and we are terrified to leave her alone. She almost died the last time we housed her at a kennel. I know for certain that she will be looked after here,” she says.
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“All of us are here because we really love dogs. I think that makes all the difference,” smiles Arunodaya.
Pets 101 Hotel for Dogs is open from 10 a.m. to 5p.m. on all days. For more details, contact Arunodaya Reddy at 9841222223. or Shravan Krishnan at 9176878969.