Hyderabad-based ‘Scoobie’s Pet Services’ helps pets stay safe in pandemic

Hyderabad: When the pandemic hit last year, animal activists Panneru Teja and Pridhvi, Netra Borah, Sai Teja Gaddam, Shalini Chandrashekhar, and Pradeep Yerra knew that like every calamity that struck mankind, animals would be forgotten in the mayhem.

And so, they decided to help out pet owners who tested positive for Covid-19. Since dogs also need a lot of care and maintenance and with most families unable to cope in dealing with the virus and taking care of their pets, the team of Scoobie’s Pet Services takes in the dogs for boarding till the family recovers.

“We provide a safe and healthy environment to such pets. We collect the dog from the house and use a fresh collar and leash. Then we give the pets a medicated bath at our kennel so there is no chance of any surface infection. We also purchase any medication the dog may require and take care that it has the same diet it is used to when at home,” explains Panneru Teja, one of the core team members, Scoobie’s Pet Taxi.

The team has handled 80-90 such cases since last year and has housed both Indian and exotic dog breeds at their kennel.

“Dogs are very intuitive and can sense anxiety, illness and stress in a house. Having a sitter is always better for their well-being. Also, they get company of other dogs which keeps them happy and active,” says Teja. The team also offers pick up and drop service if a family has friends who are willing to take care of the dog during their isolation.

The team also rescued several pets that were abandoned by their owners fearing the virus due to misinformation.

“We saw many such pets around the OU campus. One dog we found kept sitting in the same place its owner left him for two days, thinking they would come back for him. When we found him, he was really weak and had ticks all over him. It took a great deal of persuasion to make him eat food,” says Teja.

The team is in regular touch with the police and immediately springs into action when alerted about abandoned pets and also arranges adoptions. The service charges per day begin from Rs 500.

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