HYDERABAD : re you looking for a spiffy tuxedo for your fur baby this Christmas? Or maybe some shots that will ease his/her knee pain? If yes, Petex India - 2019 on Hitex Grounds is where you should spend your weekend. Even if you are not a pet parent, the sight of exotic dogs, cats, birds and fish is sure to provide you some pet therapy. The three-day event, which was inaugurated on Friday, features rare breeds of dogs, cats, exotic birds and fish; pet care and grooming products and several dog competitions.
Nimisha Dixit, whose ‘Dog - o- Bow’ stall offers lace dresses, polka dot frocks, tank tops etc. for your pets, said: “The pet industry in Hyderabad is growing fast. When I started the company one and a half years back, the demand was low. But this Diwali, I made a profit of `4 lakh as families came looking for festive attire for their pets too.”
“The pet food market in India is estimated to be `1,800 to `2,000 crore. India is home to 2.5 crore pets, of which 2.2 crore are dogs and 30 lakh are cats,” said Ganesh Raman — general manager of city-based pet food company, Mars Petcare — after inaugurating the show. Dr Shiba Varghese Sheth from Mumbai-based Swati Spentose, said: “We are selling injections for dogs which suffer from osteo-arthritis.”There are various grooming tools on sale too. Anjana Jyothi from Mumbai-based Wahl, said: “We have a range of de-shedding solutions customised for small and large breeds. There are de-shedding blades, gloves, fur detanglers and others.”
The Danny Kennels stall at the event had its fair share of visitors owing to the Shih Tzu, Beagle, Golden Retriever, and Siberian Husky puppies that it was selling. However, the stall that attracted the maximum number of visitors was Chandu Exotic Pets, which had exotic birds on display. They even have a tri-colour squirrel and an iguana. When asked if it is legal to own those pets, Chandrakanth Reddy, the shop owner, said: “It is illegal to import these birds, but I breed them here.
I have a Blue-gold Macaw here which costs `1.5 lakh and Carninal Lory which costs around `40 thousand.” Commenting on the legality, Telangana forest department, OSD (Wildlife), A Shankaran, said, “The sale of exotic animals does not come under the purview of the Wildlife Protection Act. Any animal brought inside the country has to be cleared under CITES. The sellers can be held if they do not have proper documents.”
fishy Business
Fish lovers need not feel disappointed as there are stalls selling aquariums, filters and medicines that can reduce stress among fish. At Jasmine Pet Mart stall, one of the most expensive fish breeds is 24-carat Arowana that can cost between `3 lakh to `24 lakh. At the event, visitors will get a glimpse of rare dog breeds including Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Bull Mastiff, Dogo Argentino, Miniature Pinscher, Scottish Terrier and Akita. Designer leashes and cute toy mice for cats are also available.
Highlights
German Shepherd Specialty Show: November 2,3
Breed Show: November 2,3
Feline Convention:
November 2
Cat Show: November 3