Exotic pet owners can show off their rarities at book shop
EXOTIC pets – ranging from reptiles to amphibians, birds and small mammals – will meet in an unusual place this afternoon as they converge on #Hashtagbooks in the Shannon Drive Shopping Centre in Reservoir Hills.
The event is the brainchild of publisher Anivesh Singh, who opened the bookshop four months ago.
“Every now and then someone pops in with a parrot on their shoulder; just last week a little boy came in with a lizard in his pocket,” said Singh.
He added that it was routine for local book lovers to come browsing with their canines and felines in tow.
That got Singh thinking about having an open house, where pet owners could show off their prized pets and chat to others with similar interests.
“Just so things don’t get out of hand, we invited a local celebrity veterinarian, who is like a go-to Dr Phil, to keep an eye on the pampered exotics,” added Singh.
In an unusual partnership, #Hashtagbooks shares space with a shop that sells specialist pet care products. Singh explained that visitors to the shop were very complimentary about his bookshop venture, and were thrilled that there was a buzz in the community.
#Hashtagbooks hosts events pretty much every week, whether it’s book launches or talks by interesting personalities. Recent guests have included authors Zuleikha Mayat, Richard Nyasulu, Manogran Govender and, most recently, Malibongwe Majola.
Asked about this afternoon’s exotic guest list, Singh let on that there will be a mixed bag of bearded dragons, pythons, boa constrictors, tenrecs, leopard geckos and, quite likely, a Madagascan cockroach.
The organisers will open their doors at noon and encourage exotic pet owners to drop by with their treasures.
Needless to say, they expect to be swamped by children and curious members of the public. – Tribune Reporter