REVELLING IN SOME PUPPY LOVE
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There’s a new grown-up insight, happening in the swish circles of pet love. While till a few years ago, it was considered cool to bob about flaunting a Chihuahua or an Affenpinscher; today the fad seems more like a flotsam.
A new level of understanding has forced people to choose compassion over nonchalance, when it comes to animals. And in the new world of Instagram and Pinterest, this passion for kindness, is being expressed through images, interactions and a growing interest in pet adoption and pampering.
According to experts, mass-moulding avenues such as the social media, have led to a boost in pet adoption and pet care globally. As per Pet Health Inc. – (North America’s provider of management software for animal welfare organisations), adoption of dogs and cats increased by three per cent during the third quarter of 2013. Particularly in India, where the problem of strays (dogs in particular) continues to be a menace , with the World Health Organization estimates showing that out of 200 million stray dogs worldwide, an approximate 25 million homeless dogs are found in India alone. The 2013 survey figures released from the city’s three municipal corporations found that the stray dog population of the city is over 3 lakhs. Till a couple of years ago, the number was over 10 lakh.
Dr Premalata Chaudhary, a veterinarian who runs a dog clinic in Delhi’s Anand Niketan and manages a website called www.adoptadesidog.com says, “Its impossible to keep a tab on the number of strays, as we still need strict neutering to ensure over population. But we are seeing a newer interest in pet lovers willing to take home a stray. The numbers may not be enough to check the stray population as yet, but at least a realisation is setting in.” According to experts, what we are seeing in India is a ripple effect of what happened abroad. Aradhna Swami, animal welfare volunteer says, “The curiosity about Indian dogs and their plight forced many foreigners and expats to adopt Indian dogs.” In 2013 Chaudhary’s city based center got 350 desi dogs adopted in countries such as Canada, UK and Australia, and 24 desi adoptions were done within the city in a month recently. Another research conducted in US, by consumer and media company Mintel, highlights that social media has taken over as a means to explore and share pet related experience. No wonder that about one-third of the most popular posts on Facebook, are about animals. Cats,dogs and bunny rabbits continue to remain trends that blow up the Internet from time to time. From the latest ‘cat wearing tights’ trend that started on Meowfit, a Tumblr, to Snoopy a short hair cat from China who has taken the social media on storm by having more than 275,000 followers on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter and 190,0000 on Instagram, to Japanese cat Maru who was hailed as the Internet’s most famous feline and Grumpy Cat who became so popular on Internet that she was chosen as the ‘spokescat’ for Friskies, a cat food brand, the love for animals have found varied expressions with the social media.
Animal rights activist, Maneka Gandhi says, “Social media is playing an enormous role in animal awareness. But what surprises me more than the rising pet adoptions is the speed at which an animal post goes viral.”
And pet owners are not pinching pockets when it comes to pampering their adopted strays either. Anupama Dayal, a Delhibased designer says, “Two years ago when a friend informed me that there are pups lying near the litter in Delhi’s Humayun’s Tomb, I decided to pick one. I named him Akbar because he was found at Humayun’s tomb. I always try to give Akbar a little extra, so as to compensate for things he didn’t have as a child. There is a tailor who stiches dog coats for him and his toys are brought from stores across Europe.”
Its the same for Bela Madan, educationist. “We celebrate birthdays and home coming parties for our dogs just as we celebrate these occasions for other family members.”
Chandni Nath, an enterprenuer has a maid who attends to her pug full-time. He’s fed on apple stew, banana stew and baby Cerelac. And interior designer Arjun Sodhi is brand conscious even when it comes to shopping for his pet. “I bought him a Burberry dogcoat some years ago and he took an instant liking to it. So now his doggie wardrobe is getting full of designer dog coats.”