From pet resort to pet spa, Hyderabad becoming a booming market for PetPreneurs

Hyderabad: Felica Lounge in Madhapur, built on a half-acre of land and set up at an investment of Rs. 2.5 crores, has a swimming pool for pets. They plan to open a human bar in their facility so that patrons can enjoy their beverages while their pets socialise. They have acquired a good number of customers in just four months of their launch and are planning to expand to other metros. “You are welcome to hang out with or without your pet. However, we would prefer your pet over you!” says its founder Hema.

Felica Lounge is among the latest venture in the city that caters to pets. From boarding facilities for pets to pet resort to pet spa, modern pawrents have a plethora of options to choose from. Paw Kingdom is one of the biggest pet boarding facilities. Campaign Tails organises dog games and campfires for pet parents and their fur babies. Just Green provides doorstep pet grooming. They have a luxury pet spa and salon. They have 11 mobile vans and highly trained staff.

Pawsitive Kennels & Pet Resort has the biggest dog kennel and pet resort in Hyderabad. It is spread over 3.5 acres and besides providing boarding for pets, they also train them. Other facilities include pet cafe, pet salon, vet on call, healthy walks, and a swimming pool.

For pet parents who want to socialise their pets, there is Canines Coach, an institute for professional dog training. A pet owner can get their dog trained for obedience and behaviour modification. They run a basic obedience course where the dog is made to follow the pet parent’s commands happily. The programme helps parents establish a strong bond and communication set up with their dogs.

Now, there are also many cloud kitchens that deliver freshly-cooked vegetarian and non-vegetarian food for dogs.

A booming pet industry

The pet industry is evolving into a big industry. Hyderabad city is home to over 5,000 “Pet Entrepreneurs,” said an industry insider. As pet adoptions increased during the pandemic, the market is flooded with more pet-friendly products and services. It also gave birth to more PetPreneurs and DogPreneurs. Because of the demand for more pet products, more startups are getting into the space with high-end products.

“No matter what the product is and how costly it is, if it makes our pets happier, we are happy to buy them,” said Sonali, one of the pet parents who visited Petex, the biggest pet industry expo being held in Hyderabad, on Saturday.

Petex India in Hyderabad

The 4th edition of Petex India was held at Hitex, Hyderabad from 27 to 29 January. It drew a large crowd and on Saturday alone over 10,000 pet lovers visited Petex India. Hycan 2023, the 3rd international dog show, was one of the events at Petex that saw over 500 dogs of 50 different breeds participating in it.

The Indian Cat Federation held the International Cat Show. It featured over 120 cats that were judged by two international judges from Turkey and Latvia. Among the 120 cats, a few (20) were rare and one of them was Toyger, a rare cat breed. According to Shahab Ali of Aslans who is also associated with the Royal Deccan Cat Club in the city and one of the exhibitors, Toyger is so rare that only two female breed cats exist in India, and Hyderabad-based Aslans own both of them. According to him, this is a man-made breed. “It is a miniature tiger. In the international market, it commands anywhere between Rs. 8 to 10 lakhs,” he said.

Exotica, one of the exhibitors, displayed Chili Red Arowana fish, one of the most appealing and eye-catching fishes. According to Mr. Guptha of Exotica, they imported the fish from Indonesia. The fish is named Chili Red Arowana after its crisp red colour, he added. The fish that is on display is 10 inches and when it grows to 2.5 feet, the cost will run into several lakhs.

Dogathon, a mini-marathon, was held for pet dogs with their parents. Over 60 pets and their owners registered and participated in the 1.5-km-long marathon.