Pet boarding business thrives during holiday season
\n
\nT. Sima Gunawan, Contributor, The Jakarta Post<\/p>\n
As the Idul Fitri holiday approaches, many people are busy
\nplanning trips to their hometowns. Entire families will return to
\ntheir hometowns and villages for joyous family reunions.<\/p>\n
But it is unlikely that those who have pets will bring the
\nanimals along, even if the pets are considered part of the
\nfamily. In cases such as this, the owners usually send the pets
\nto an animal boarding facility.<\/p>\n
The pet boarding business thrives during the holidays. Long
\nbefore the Idul Fitri holiday, many people have booked a place
\nfor their pets. Some of them want to send their pets to a
\nboarding facility not because they will leave the city, but
\nbecause their maids will be gone.<\/p>\n
The accommodation rate is between Rp 20,000 (about US$2.35)
\nand Rp 60,000 per animal per night.<\/p>\n
\"All of the pets here are kept in an air-conditioned room,\"
\nsaid Suwit Hartono, owner of Pet's Club in Kemang, South Jakarta,
\nadding that the dogs were taken for a walk in the afternoon.<\/p>\n
The owners, however, are required to groom their pets before
\nbringing them in. The grooming fee for a shorthaired cat is Rp
\n40,000, Rp 45,000 for a longhaired cat, and Rp 50,000 or Rp
\n60,000 for a dog, depending on the length of their coat. Another
\nRp 15,000 is charged for a flee and tick treatment.<\/p>\n
Adistira, owner of Pet's Home in Bintaro and in Pondok Indah,
\nboth in South Jakarta, said the dogs in his care were taken for a
\nwalk twice a day, in the morning and in the afternoon. Cats and
\nsmall dogs are kept in cages in an air-conditioned room, while
\nbig dogs are put in outdoor cages.<\/p>\n
\"Rabbits and hamsters are also welcome,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Adistira said most of the people who boarded pets with him
\nduring the Idul Fitri holiday were Indonesians, while during the
\nChristmas and New Year holidays most of his customers were
\nforeigners.<\/p>\n
\"Last year, some people kept their dogs with us for more than
\none month,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Based on his experience, Adistira said the most difficult
\nthing in handling the animals is keeping them happy.<\/p>\n
\"We are responsible for their condition. The animals are
\nhealthy when they arrive here and they should be healthy when
\nthey leave. They should not be stressed or sick,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, there is no guarantee that the pets will not suffer
\nfrom stress.<\/p>\n
The city administration's pet shelter in Ragunan, South
\nJakarta, warns owners that the new environment may stress out the
\nanimals. Pet owners, however, should not worry too much because
\nthere are veterinarians available at the shelter during the day.
\nIf something happens and an animal becomes ill, the shelter will
\nbe ready to treat the animal -- the owners have to pay later.<\/p>\n
At the Sunter pet clinic in North Jakarta, veterinarians are
\navailable 24 hours a day.<\/p>\n
\"The pets usually get stressed on the first day and refuse to
\neat. In that case, we will give them vitamins,\" Yani, one of the
\nveterinarians, said.<\/p>\n
The clinic, which can accommodate between 25 and 30 dogs,
\ngives priority to pet owners who regularly visit the center.
\nOthers are referred to the Animal Hospital in Bogor, which also
\nhas a boarding facility.<\/p>\n
Being healthy is a basic requirement for a pet that will be
\nsent to a boarding facility. The animals must have been
\nvaccinated and they must not be pregnant.<\/p>\n
Pet owners who want to send the pets to the Ragunan shelter
\nmust leave a copy of his or her ID card, a full address and a
\nphone number where they can be reached.<\/p>\n
They must also pay a deposit of Rp 410,000 for a dog and Rp
\n325,000 for a cat.<\/p>\n
\"We implemented this policy this year to prevent people from
\nabandoning their pets, which become the burden of the pet
\nshelter,\" Hadi Wibowo, director of the Ragunan pet shelter, said.<\/p>\n
Last year, the shelter kept 70 abandoned dogs. It is now home
\nto some 130 abandoned dogs and 80 abandoned cats. The shelter
\nalso takes care of pets that are sent there by owners for
\ntemporary care. When The Jakarta Post visited the shelter on
\nMonday, a staff member said there were 10 such dogs at the
\nshelter.<\/p>\n
The Ragunan shelter is still able to accommodate some 30 big
\ndogs and another 30 small and medium-seized dogs, as well as 40
\ncats. More cats will be accepted if the owners can provide their
\nown cages.<\/p>\n
Due to the limited number of staff members, the Ragunan pet
\nshelter does not walk the dogs. And because of budget
\nconstraints, the dogs are fed rice mixed with cooked minced beef
\nand chicken instead of dog food.<\/p>\n
But the owners can send special dog food along with their
\nanimals. If they want the shelter to buy a certain dog food for
\ntheir animals, they are required to pay additional charges of 30
\npercent.<\/p>\n
Normally, pet owners must pay between Rp 20,000 and Rp 50,000
\ndaily for the boarding fee. During the holidays, the price is
\nincreased by 20 percent.<\/p>\n
The Ragunan animal shelter, which also has a pet cemetery,
\nhopes that the revenue will cover its operational costs.<\/p>\n
\"The city administration stopped subsidizing us a long time
\nago,\" Wibowo said, adding that besides generating its own
\nrevenue, the shelter also relied on donors.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pet-boarding-business-thrives-during-holiday-season-1447899208",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}