Pet boarding business thrives during holiday season

Pet boarding business thrives during holiday season

T. Sima Gunawan, Contributor, The Jakarta Post

As the Idul Fitri holiday approaches, many people are busy
planning trips to their hometowns. Entire families will return to
their hometowns and villages for joyous family reunions.

But it is unlikely that those who have pets will bring the
animals along, even if the pets are considered part of the
family. In cases such as this, the owners usually send the pets
to an animal boarding facility.

The pet boarding business thrives during the holidays. Long
before the Idul Fitri holiday, many people have booked a place
for their pets. Some of them want to send their pets to a
boarding facility not because they will leave the city, but
because their maids will be gone.

The accommodation rate is between Rp 20,000 (about US$2.35)
and Rp 60,000 per animal per night.

"All of the pets here are kept in an air-conditioned room,"
said Suwit Hartono, owner of Pet's Club in Kemang, South Jakarta,
adding that the dogs were taken for a walk in the afternoon.

The owners, however, are required to groom their pets before
bringing them in. The grooming fee for a shorthaired cat is Rp
40,000, Rp 45,000 for a longhaired cat, and Rp 50,000 or Rp
60,000 for a dog, depending on the length of their coat. Another
Rp 15,000 is charged for a flee and tick treatment.

Adistira, owner of Pet's Home in Bintaro and in Pondok Indah,
both in South Jakarta, said the dogs in his care were taken for a
walk twice a day, in the morning and in the afternoon. Cats and
small dogs are kept in cages in an air-conditioned room, while
big dogs are put in outdoor cages.

"Rabbits and hamsters are also welcome," he said.

Adistira said most of the people who boarded pets with him
during the Idul Fitri holiday were Indonesians, while during the
Christmas and New Year holidays most of his customers were
foreigners.

"Last year, some people kept their dogs with us for more than
one month," he said.

Based on his experience, Adistira said the most difficult
thing in handling the animals is keeping them happy.

"We are responsible for their condition. The animals are
healthy when they arrive here and they should be healthy when
they leave. They should not be stressed or sick," he said.

However, there is no guarantee that the pets will not suffer
from stress.

The city administration's pet shelter in Ragunan, South
Jakarta, warns owners that the new environment may stress out the
animals. Pet owners, however, should not worry too much because
there are veterinarians available at the shelter during the day.
If something happens and an animal becomes ill, the shelter will
be ready to treat the animal -- the owners have to pay later.

At the Sunter pet clinic in North Jakarta, veterinarians are
available 24 hours a day.

"The pets usually get stressed on the first day and refuse to
eat. In that case, we will give them vitamins," Yani, one of the
veterinarians, said.

The clinic, which can accommodate between 25 and 30 dogs,
gives priority to pet owners who regularly visit the center.
Others are referred to the Animal Hospital in Bogor, which also
has a boarding facility.

Being healthy is a basic requirement for a pet that will be
sent to a boarding facility. The animals must have been
vaccinated and they must not be pregnant.

Pet owners who want to send the pets to the Ragunan shelter
must leave a copy of his or her ID card, a full address and a
phone number where they can be reached.

They must also pay a deposit of Rp 410,000 for a dog and Rp
325,000 for a cat.

"We implemented this policy this year to prevent people from
abandoning their pets, which become the burden of the pet
shelter," Hadi Wibowo, director of the Ragunan pet shelter, said.

Last year, the shelter kept 70 abandoned dogs. It is now home
to some 130 abandoned dogs and 80 abandoned cats. The shelter
also takes care of pets that are sent there by owners for
temporary care. When The Jakarta Post visited the shelter on
Monday, a staff member said there were 10 such dogs at the
shelter.

The Ragunan shelter is still able to accommodate some 30 big
dogs and another 30 small and medium-seized dogs, as well as 40
cats. More cats will be accepted if the owners can provide their
own cages.

Due to the limited number of staff members, the Ragunan pet
shelter does not walk the dogs. And because of budget
constraints, the dogs are fed rice mixed with cooked minced beef
and chicken instead of dog food.

But the owners can send special dog food along with their
animals. If they want the shelter to buy a certain dog food for
their animals, they are required to pay additional charges of 30
percent.

Normally, pet owners must pay between Rp 20,000 and Rp 50,000
daily for the boarding fee. During the holidays, the price is
increased by 20 percent.

The Ragunan animal shelter, which also has a pet cemetery,
hopes that the revenue will cover its operational costs.

"The city administration stopped subsidizing us a long time
ago," Wibowo said, adding that besides generating its own
revenue, the shelter also relied on donors.