With inquisitive black eyes, lustrous golden fur and a collar with her name, Zelda was constantly trying to understand her new surroundings. Waiting in a queue along with her owner, Zelda was one among the hundreds of dogs that visited the Government Veterinary Hospital, where a vaccination camp was held on the occasion of World Zoonoses Day observed on July 6 every year. The camp also facilitated the implanting of microchips.
While some were cradled by their owners, some came wrapped in towels and others just sniffed around trying to get familiar with the new place and the other pets. Breeds such as Siberian husky, labrador, golden retrievers, pugs, pomeranian were seen at the camp. By the end of the day, more than 1,500 pets were given a dose of anti-rabies vaccine at the camp. The sight of hundreds of dogs waiting in line with their owners was enough to knock a dog-lover off his senses.
The pet grooming and healthcare industry is blooming globally, with more people now investing heavily in pet food and their healthcare. From spas to start-ups focussing on pets, they have it all. According to data from Euromonitor International, Indians spent ₹ 19.8 billion on pet care in the last one year. It is projected that the market would grow at 12.6 % between 2017 and 2022.
The pet owners in the city are not far behind following the global trends. Deepa Pillai, Zelda’s owner, says that every visit to a foreign country includes a trip to the pet stores. “ I look for toys or accessories for Zelda . She sits near my bags when I get back from tours expecting her gift,” says Pillai.
However, Balaji P an engineer who moved to the city two years ago from Bengaluru feels that the city is not very pet-friendly. “We can get accessories and food thanks to the online portals and few good pet stores in the city. But there aren’t any pet hostels or pet-friendly cafés in the city,” he says.
Now, with the rising number of pet owners in the city, he hopes for new and better initiatives. He was at the camp with his 6-year-old golden retriever, Marshal to get a microchip implanted.
The microchipcreates a unique identification number which helps in locating owners of lost dogs and in re-homing the animal. More than 200 owners registered their pets at the camp and got the chip implanted. The chips also help reduce cases of dog abandonment. With the help of the chip the concerned authorities can find the owners and hold them accountable for the dog.
