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.