Ahmedabad pet hostels packed this vacation

AHMEDABAD: The mercury is rising steadily, and so is the Amdavadis' need to escape the heat. Summer vacations mean longer trips. With the mushrooming of pet hostels and boarding facilities, pet parents - a growing tribe in the city - no longer need to worry about what to do with their fur babies. As owners take off on their adventures, many of these facilities have become the home away from home for their pets and are 'paw-sitively' full for the next two months.
According to industry players, pet boarding facilities in Ahmedabad are running at full capacity during April and May, with occupancy levels doubling due to increased travel. As more families become nuclear, dog boarding facilities are seeing a growing demand for their services.
Most facilities have expanded their capacity by at least 20% to meet the growing demand, with plans to add even more facilities.
Maulik Patel, the co-founder of a pet boarding facility in Ahmedabad, said, "We had 11 rooms which we recently expanded to 25. We plan to add more as we are fully booked for the vacation season. We often have to refuse clients due to a lack of space."
Pet boarding facilities in Ahmedabad are also seeing an increase in the duration of boarding requests, with some pet owners leaving their furry friends for up to two months while they travel abroad. The growing awareness about pets and the need for proper care is encouraging more people to opt for boarding facilities rather than leaving their pets with family or friends.
Suhani Gehlot, the founder of Scooby’s - The Dog Resort, has upgraded its cooling systems and expanded its facility to accommodate more dogs. “By Diwali, we will have 10-12 more rooms. We are also receiving requests to host cats, and we are looking at more avenues within the city to create a daycare facility for dogs and cats.” Richa Singh, the founder of Bowsome Retreat, a boarding facility for dogs in the city, has also witnessed a doubling of occupancy during April and May. “At present, we have 20 dogs at our boarding facility, including two rescued ones,” she said.