Friendly Paws: Celebrate your pets’ birthdays at Gachibowli Dog Park

Hyderabad: Gone are those days when parks and fun-filled activities are only meant for humans. Majority of the households nowadays have dogs as pets at home, and they are doing their best to keep them entertained and energetic. So, every Sunday, most are looking for places to take their pets outside.

If you are a pet parent looking for a happy space for your dog, to have them play with their friends, watch movies together, and celebrate birthdays, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s Dog Park at Gachibowli in Hyderabad is a definite place to visit for your furry friends. This pet park is the first dog park of its kind not only in Hyderabad but across India.

Ever since it has opened its doors to dog lovers and their furry friends it has been a must-visit hangout spot, especially on Sunday mornings. An array of people can be seen visiting the park with their dogs to socialise, relax, play with their pets, make friends within the animal community, or just spend quiet time with their pets.

GHMC zonal commissioner Harichandana Dasari, a self-proclaimed dog lover, is the architect behind this program. The project began a few years ago, according to the energetic 33-year-old, when people complained to KT Rama Rao, minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development and Brand Hyderabad, that they couldn’t walk their dogs on the streets due to a lack of proper footpaths and severe encroachment in certain areas.

“During my recce of the city, I received complaints about an old park that had become a dumping ground due to the carelessness of a few construction companies. We felt the location was ideal for a dog park, and we began by cleaning the trash yard. The clearing operation accounted for about half of the overall cost of the project at Rs 1.1 crore,” Harichandana said.

Facilities

The bone-shaped park, covered by a paw-friendly artificial grass carpet, has a walking track, a Loo Café, ramps, two splash puddles shaped like paws, hoop jumps, weaving posts, training, and play equipment, benches shaped like bones for the owners to relax and entertaining obstacle courses.

The park also has provisions for persons with disabilities and their dog helpers to exercise and enjoy outdoor activities without fear of accidents. Arundhati Rao, whose golden retriever Sage is a frequent visitor to the park, is always happy to be at the park, as she gallops over the lawn and enjoys the facilities available.

“Hyderabad needs places like the Dog Park, and this area of Gachibowli in particular is thriving with such facilities,” Arundathi said. “Taking Sage for walks and visits to the many pet-friendly eateries like Café De Loco, Hummingbird Café, and Autumn Leaf Cafe is great, but keeping your dog exercised and changing their scenery is important. These venues also improve people’s connections with their dogs.”

Pet owners like Arundhati will be charged a fee of Rs 10 per pet to enter and use the amenities, but rest assured that everything on the site has been approved and verified by the Kennel Club of India.

Attractions and more

The park is spread across a sprawling area of 1.3 acres. The park also has occasional vaccination drives for pets as vaccinations are mandatory for entry into the park. Apart from that, the park also has an amphitheatre that screens animal movies a few times a month for pet parents to enjoy.

“There is a dog training centre in the park where certified professionals will train the pets. There is also a dog splash pool and a separate play area. There is a para-vet clinic where veterinary personnel would attend to the dogs’ medical requirements. There is also a separate walkway and benches for regular visitors,” Rajendra Kumar, an employee with the GHMC Urban Biodiversity Wing, told NewsMeter.

Many paw parents can even choose to celebrate the birthdays of their fur children at this park. It is quite enjoyable for pets to be surrounded by their humans and other four-legged friends.

The park has a variety of visitors. Commonly seen are various breeds like Siberian Huskies, Golden Retrievers, Labradors, Dalmations, ChowChow, and small breeds like Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Beagles, and more.

The park is a delight not only for dogs and their owners but also for animal lovers who just want to visit the park and spend time with each other among a wide selection of furry visitors.

Commando Kennels in Kompally, Hyderabad, provided the equipment for the park. There’s also a separate section for tiny dogs, and the entire park is brightly adorned with dog-related artwork along the inner walls.

Dr Abdul Wakeel, a veterinary doctor who has also worked tirelessly on the building of the dog park, said he is excited to see the city transformed into a dog-friendly capital. “We have plans to open more parks in other areas, such as Secunderabad. This will make it easy for dog lovers across the city to have their own hangout spot,” he said.

“We’ve been flooded with requests from dog owners in the city asking for dog parks in their neighbourhoods, and even from cities like Chennai,” Harichandana said. Creating parks and other intentional recreational places, she explained, can help reduce the waste of available land.

The GHMC wishes to collaborate closely with dogs and pet owners in order to foster a lifestyle that benefits both people and canines. With all these per-friendly developments, Hyderabad can now be known as the City of Pearls and Paws.