Their four-legged customers get food delivered despite lockdown

Socks, Cindy, Sophie and Turney get their favourite food uninterrupted despite lockdown

While the lockdown may have changed the food habits of many for good or for worse, a pet cooked food delivery firm has ensured that their fourlegged customers continue to have their delicious and nutritious food home-delivered as usual.

Pet Tiffin Services based in Bandra has its customers from South-Mumbai’s Churchgate all the way to the western suburbs of Juhu and Kandivli and Thane district.

Nida Qureishi, who is currently managing the firm which her brother Rehan started eight years ago says some of their customers are vegetarian and do not cook non-vegetarian food at home. “Their companion animals were used to our food. So, they requested us not to stop the service,” she says, adding that both she and her brother are avid animal lovers and love feeding them. “We thought there may be risk involved, but we will see things as they come, but continue the service” Qureishi says.

While most of their delivery personnel have bikes to do delivery work, one of their kitchen staff comes walking all the way from Vakola in Santacruz to Bandra West near the railways station where their kitchen is located, as there is no transport available these days. On the way back, he gets a drop from the firm.

Home-delivery during these times also came with its challenges. “One of our delivery staff who handles Thane area faced difficulties with the police not allowing him to deliver, but now with the help of one of our customers, the police have permitted him to carry out deliveries,” she says.

When the lockdown was imposed, the regular meat vendors had stopped delivering to them. They have tided over the issue now by arranging meat from other vendors.

One of their regular customers, Juhu resident Katie Bhathena, 80, said, “I have four dogs and have been using this service for many years now. I am not keeping well presently and so my son’s family has come over to stay with me now, and we have their puppy here too. I am delighted to see that the dog food continues to come despite the lockdown. We already have many things to worry about during this time. At least, dog food is not one of them.”