BENGALURU : A stroll in a lush green two-acre space, a swim in the cool blue waters, followed by a mani and pedi session. It’s a dogs life for many city pets who are checking into a luxury pet resort over the weekend and during vacations. With a facility for pet-parents to also spend some stress- free quality time under the same roof, Bengalureans don’t mind going out of their way to reach the Sarjapura Road-located resort.
The recently-launched Petcart Nest believes that pets are family and hence, deserve the best vacations too. The pet care solutions company spearheaded by Shekhar Gaonkar and Nilendu Maiti, was developed after three years of research with pet parents, veterinarians, and was launched after studying the markets in the US. “When I was contemplating on starting a venture on my own, my friend and partner Nilendu suggested to do something in the pet industry.
We started with an e-commerce platform. We used to go to pet parents personally to deliver our pet products the and speak to them to understand their requirements. We read in detail about the industry online and spoke to vets and realised there is no weekend destination space for pets. That’s how we came up with this idea.”
It’s hard to believe that Shekhar once feared dogs, but overcame it by visiting pet parents regularly. “I remember my first visit to a pet parent’s house. They had a Rottweiler, he jumped and barked at me. Nilendu calmed him down. Eventually, I became comfortable with dogs,” says the co-founder and CEO of the resort.
CAMP WITH YOUR FURRY BABY
Apart from a boarding facility with 70 huts of 60 sq ft each, the resort provides space to pet parents and their four-legged friends to spend stress- free quality time under one roof. Pet parents can also camp with pets and experience various adventures as well plan for overnight stay in tents. Coming soon is a cafe and camp site. A round-the-clock vet ensures quick medical assistance in case of emergencies. “The play areas have neem and lemon grass plants which act as mosquito repellents.
We make sure that at least four feeders sleep in the gallery in the boarding facility so that dogs do not get anxious at night,” he says.A viewing gallery lets pet parents or visitors watch their pets in their huts. “Each hut has a plumbing facility in case walking the dog is not possible. There are exhaust fans and CCTV cameras in each corner,” he says about the facility which organises birthday parties for pets too. For those who want to catch up with their ‘babies’, a video conferencing has been set up.
“We have a room where pet owners can conduct a video call through an app, and see their pets at the scheduled slots,” he adds. The resort provides membership on a monthly, yearly or lifetime basis, besides day packages. “The membership is in the name of the pet just like a club membership of their pet parents,” he says with a laugh.We have received several bookings till January, says Nilendu Maiti, co-founder, who points out that pet parents book the place well in advance.