KOCHI: Until you have loved an animal a part of your soul will remain unawakened, said French writer Anatole France.Anyone who owns a dog knows the love and affection that binds a canine and his master. The crashing sound at the door when you return from work, the gentle nudge by the nose, a lick on the hand and the expression of gratitude in his shining eyes as you serve his daily meal can relieve you of work stress. In the changing world, pets have grown in stature, taking over as man’s best companion. In fact, the pet - master relationship has become more emotional now-a-days as many find solace in their cute gestures.
The growing trend of pet ownership in Kerala has also created space for a thriving pet care market. Eight years ago, when a pet hospital was launched at Panampilly Nagar in Kochi, people frowned at the idea. But pet care in no longer a business that deals only in dogs. From pet breeding to pet hospital, snacks, toys, grooming centres and medicine, chain of business has developed and is raking in crores.
“People feeling lonely and suffering from depression or stress turn to pets for solace.
Taking care of a pet can help improve psychological health. There are people who keep pets due to their love for animals. But in the case of elderly people living alone, pets provide the much needed companionship and this in turn helps reduce mood swings and loneliness. But since many apartment owners refuse to allow dogs on their premises people have started keeping cats, birds and other little animals,” said Dr K Soorej, director and chief consultant at The Cochin Pet Hospital at Panampilly Nagar.
Gone are the days when people kept large dog breeds called gentle giants. What about keeping a python, a turtle, a rodent or a lizard at home? Now people are more into hamsters - a species of small rodents, the Mongolian gerbil, the cute little sugar gliders, iguanas - a genus of herbivorous lizards native to South America and the Caribbean, gecko- a small, colourful reptile, ferrets - a mammal belonging to the genus of the weasel, the Russian squirrel, Burmese python, marmosets - the tiny monkeys, hedge hogs, red-eared slider turtles, birds like the colourful macaws, the talkative African grey parrot, the yellow crested cockatoo, the sun parakeet or sun conure, the Amazon parrots that speak with exceptional clarity, fish breeds like Golden Arowana, tetras, discus fish and a variety of exotic animals.
“Now many families prefer cats. The furry Persian cats, the Persian punch face, the Bengal cats that look like leopards and the highly affectionate, inquisitive, intelligent Siamese cats are in demand. People prefer cats since many flats do not allow dogs as they bark and cause nuisance. But cats are quiet and affectionate,” said Dr Soorej. Dog breeders in Kochi say families today prefer small cute dogs. The beagles, known as active companions for kids and adults, are the much sought after breed in Kochi. The beagle puppy will fetch anywhere between `25,000 and `35,000.
The Chinese Shih Tzu, known as chrysanthemum dog, the Mexican Chihuahua and the pug are the other tiny dog breeds in demand. Among the exotic dog breeds Siberian husky, St Bernard, poodles, Golden Retriever, the basset hound, rottweiler, German shepherd, labrador, dobermann, the short-legged, long-bodied dachshund and the dalmatian are popular among the dog lovers.
Mohammed Basith, a pet breeder, has got many exotic breeds of pets at Pets Hive, his pet store at Chakkaraparambu. “Pet care is no longer about dogs and cats. People who return from foreign countries come enquiring about exotic species. There are people who keep iguanas, marmoset monkeys and even pythons at home. Now the trend is mutations of exotic birds and animals.
We have three varieties each of macaw, Amazon parrot, crested cockatoo and 17 types of conure, iguanas, gecko, the Russian squirrel that changes colours according to climate and many other rare breeds. People come asking for ball python, Burmese python and white python. But we don’t have pythons here,” he said.
A pair of marmoset monkeys cost Rs 2.5 lakh but there are many takers for these cute little creatures with a very distinctive smell. They are also called pocket monkeys, finger monkeys and pigmy marmosets.Linson, a resident of Kadavantra, has got a collection of exotic animals that can steal the heart of pet lovers. “There are people who keep red-eared slider turtle, Chinese soft shell turtle, the Russian red footed tortoise and the sulcata tortoise. Now-a-days people want to have exotic and rare animals as pets.
I have rabbit species like mini lops and the Netherland dwarf. There are WhatsApp groups of pet lovers and we get information of new exotic breeds from these groups. Aquarium fish trade is also booming in Kerala. There are breeders who provide marine and tropical species and take care of the monthly maintenance of aquariums,” he said.
With the government banning the import of foreign dog breeds and exotic animals and birds, the breeders are providing locally bred exotic pets. The lineage of the breed is the key factor that decides the price. There are animal lovers who don’t mind shelling out a few lakhs to own exotic animals of pure lineage, says pet breeders.