This four-legged being no longer fits into the conventional role of only guarding the house. Today, they are family, and pet parents are spending lakhs to take care of their dogs.
With an increase in nuclear families and disposable incomes, the pet industry has become a fast-growing market. In fact, the pet food market in India may cross USD 270 million by 2019, predicts the India Pet Food Market Forecast and Opportunities 2019 report.
From fashion to festivals, spas to hotels, pooches have a lot to look forward to. And how much you decide to spend on your furry friend is entirely your call. Some people go over-the-top, reveals Viren Sharma, also known as the Dog Man of India.
“A dog can be kept on a Rs 50-250 daily spending. But I have clients who spend a fortune on their dogs. They have gigantic customised wooden houses, import treats from Europe or arrange for completely organic food that costs them Rs 2,000 per kg. Not to forget getting them groomed at spas that charge Rs 10,000 per session.”
One such dog parent is *Deepak, who adopted a mixed street breed couple of years ago.
“Initially, he used to have homemade food but then he started having medical complications.
The doctor suggested that we switch to Barf raw diet, which has greatly improved his health. He no longer has any medical issues.”
Sharma, a dog behaviourist with over 20 years of canine experience, started this business in 2001. Today, he owns more than three pet boutique stores and a pet hotel in Jaipur.
“When I started my business people used to make fun of me. But things have changed now. People want to make a pet business into a full-time profession.
At the core, pet business owners are all animal lovers.
If they can get something to satiate their passion, and it can be followed as full-time profession no one would mind that.
Also, there’s an increase in the number of dogs. In Jaipur alone, you’ve 85,000 dogs and around more than 200 pet stores. In Delhi, you’ve more than 2,000 stores. Indirectly or directly, it is giving livelihood to millions in India alone,” adds Sharma.
Pet festivals
Akshay Gupta, founder of the Pet Fed festival, started it in 2014, at a time when pet parents had limited options to unwind.
“The concept of Pet Fed has become very popular among everyone who love pets. And seeing this, non-pet lovers also are slowly understanding that there is a huge community out there with pets and it’s important that pets are allowed at all public places,” shares Delhi-based Gupta.
Pet Fed has been able to reach out to millions of people every year in all major cities and also helped in bringing this change around.
Gupta says, “Now a lot more cafes have become pet-friendly to target that audience. Malls have started hosting pet events as they want more footfalls.”
For the last edition, over 20,000 pet parents showed up per city and made it to Limca World Record Group as the biggest dog festival.
The footfalls have been increasing every year as the awareness has grown. This year, the festival is scheduled on December 28 and 29 at NSIC Grounds, Okhla.
“For people coming with dogs, we will have a massive play area with tunnels, sandpits, mazes, swings and slides; including a professional agility area for the more active ones. We’re also conducting various workshops for grooming and cooking for your pets to help people give a better lifestyle to their pets,” shares Gupta, adding, “We’re also getting more than 400 product and services’ brands from across India and abroad to bridge the gap between pet parents and new innovations in the market.
Apart from this we would be having a police dog show displaying what the dogs in our armed forces do, fashion shows, fun dog games and more which people coming in without their pets can also enjoy.” Also upcoming is a huge cat show in partnership with World Cat Federation in all the metros so cat parents don’t feel left out.
Meet a furry friend
Not a pet parent? Worry not because WeWork has organised adoption drive for dogs to help them find a home and you, a friend. But if you are afraid of commitments then you are welcome today playing with them at WeWork Platina Tower, NCR, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
(Names changed to protect identity)