PT: What inspired you to establish The Bark Club?

Shyamax: My love for animal is the sole driving force behind establishing ‘The Bark Club’. Another major aspect behind influencing me to start a 24-hour day care center was the fact, that since the past six years we never went out holidaying as a family as we had a dog and there was no way we could leave him behind with anyone else because for most of us, out pet is our family’s most cherished baby! So I wanted to provide a facility whereby you could leave your treasure with us and we would take care of it with equally dedicated hands and hearts.

PT: What does The Bark Club offer pet-parents and guardians?

Shyamax: We only offer specialized services for dogs and cats. Along with overnight boarding at the Bark club, the club serves as a 24-hour day care center, in case you wish to leave your pet with us, only for a while. Spanning over 4,500 sq. ft., with a ceiling height of over 20 ft, the area has divisions, of which 2500 sq. ft of open area has been allocated for our canine guests to play.  The lodging for our canine friends too have been divided into three sizes of rooms – Paddock (35 sq. ft.), Mansion (55 sq. ft.) and Majestic (125 sq. ft.).

The entire flooring of the premises is antibacterial (especially ticks) and anti-skit. Security being a major concern, all rooms at the club are lockable, besides the availability of a double access controlled automated door, adding to the safety of our guest. The club rooms are made of toughened non-breakable glass, with air-conditioning and CCTV facilities. We are the only facility in India which provides an app which streams live videos of the room and play area, so you can see your pet at all times. Knowing Mumbai’s heat, our guests are offered especially imported ‘cool bowls’ and ‘cool beds’. We provide professional pick up and drop services for our guests, and we also offer ‘pet-sitting’ – sending over a professional and caring handler over to your place, just like baby-sitting.
Our facility offers visiting hours for our in-house guests, who can check-in and check-out at their convenience. The premises is manned 24/7 by caretakers who have over six years of dog-handling experience, and I’m personally present there most of the time.

PT: How do you handle any emergencies?

Shyamax: We have tied up with ‘Crown Vet’ which provides instant Vets-on-call during emergencies. In addition, we have a sound fire-care system and security system in place.

PT: What criteria do you adopt for taking in a pet?

Shyamax: We do a complete background check of the family and contact the pet’s vet to find out the medical history of the pet and an update on the vaccinations and valid spot-on liquid for tick protection. Original documents of the pet along with original identity proof of the pet’s owner is mandatory. We also ask the owners to let us know what is the pet’s temperament or quirks and its eating habits with regard to quantity and timing and any other preferences, to ensure a comfortable stay for the pet.

PT: What are your memorable moments so far?

Shyamax: Well, The Bark Club was launched on 11th December, 2016 and our very first guest was very aggressive, biting my handlers within the first 30 minutes of his stay! This incident made me wonder if I had started the wrong line of business, but soon the dog calmed down and was friendly with us. Looking back at the incident, I take it as a good luck wish from our very first guest! Another incident is when a dog refused to go back with his owner, after a 3-weeks stay with us. While leaving he kept on barking and looking at me. Later that evening when I called the owner to check if the dog was doing fine, the owner video called me, showing the dog sitting near the door, maybe hoping to see me! This gave me the satisfaction and confidence that I was definitely on the right path and the service and love we were offering, was appreciated by our guests.

PT: What’s the future you envision for The Bark Club?

Shyamax: Very soon the club will have an in-house swimming pool for canines which will provide the immense benefits of hydrotherapy, as well as be a fun means to kill the heat during summers. I wish to start such facilities in more cities across India in a few years. In addition, I will soon be tying up with schools to have a day out at our center, to educate children about pets. We are also tying up with NGOs and promise to contribute a small part of our profits to these. On 1st February, 2017, we will have a donation box installed at our premises and I personally promise to put in the equivalent amount collected through donations, and give the sum to the NGOs that make a difference. At Reay Road, where we are located, there are a few friendly strays who are fed at least once a day and by April 2017, we are planning to build a small shed outside for the strays to protect them from the heat and rain.

PT: What message would you like to share with PT readers?

Shyamax: At our Club, we offer a 20% discount to all our Indies (Indian breed) guests. This is The Bark Club’s way of thanking and encouraging more people to adopt stray dogs. I believe that one shouldn’t get a dog/cat because it is ‘good to have one’. Taking in a pet is a responsibility that you should commit to for the right reasons. Adopting a pet blesses you with having the most loyal and unconditional partner for life and you must also promise to reciprocate the same by promising to love them and keep them forever. I keep emphasizing the need to adopt and not buy animals because at the end of the day, it is a life we are talking about and not a commodity, and we must put an end to this heartless trade where animals are treated with utmost cruelty. Buying animals encourages the trade. So don’t buy animals and adopt strays – look beyond ‘breeds’!

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Delaveen Tarapore

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