Milo Kotnala turned four on December 11, 2021. In the last four years, he has properly trained us. Now, we understand each of his gestures. We react to his command, anticipate his needs, and stay in his house. Everything at home is timed and made as per his needs.
In four years, Milo has converted me from a cynophobic to a pet lover. My daughter is lovingly called KD, short for Kutta Devi, as she takes care of strays. The strays around our block – the way they welcome and meet us -is the epitome of affectionate loving.
Last Month Milo Kotnala met Dadi (Grandmother) for the first time, making a long road trip- 1300 km one way. The last time he had dome an intercity trip was a no-halt run to Indore- a mere 634 km.
It all started with a call from Dadi, my mother, who is 80-plus. She said, ‘Milo se mila do- phir pata nahi kabhi mil paye’ (make me meet Milo, don’t know when and if ever I will see him). My mother has heard a lot about Milo but never met him. She did not leave Jabalpur, and Milo did not travel.
The Problem.
We are first-time pet parents, but it did not take us long to realise that we have limited options. Dadi was anyway not going to travel to Mumbai. It is not easy to travel with a pet on a flight in India. There are restrictions and daunting procedures. In fact, one or two airlines allow pets on board too if they are less than 5kg, on a leash and take the last seat. Procedurally, the train is a lot easier. One has to go a day early to the luggage department, show the documents and get a ticket for the pet. Despite the requests, you submit there is no surety of getting the first-class AC couple coupe. Or buy all four tickets of the first-class AC coupe because if the co-passengers object, the pet goes to the break van, and that was something we were not ready for.
The Solution.
It left us with no choice but to drive the distance.
So, we decided to take a break at two places. Phase 1, Mumbai-Aurangabad, a 7.5 hr, 365 km run. Phase 2 Aurangabad-Nagpur, 477 km demanding a 9-hour plus ride. And the last phase Nagpur-Jabalpur, a mere 254 km was done quickly in five-odd hours. We decided to do with a stop at Pachmarhi on the return leg. This planning aided with Google Maps seemed fine.
The Second Problem.
The problem was finding accommodation that allowed a pet stay. All the travel sites from Agoda, Booking.com. TripAdvisor, MakeMyTrip, Goibibo – have this filter. The surprise was finding not many possibilities in Nagpur, Aurangabad and Panchmarhi. These included homestays or hiring of the complete villa or living in tents. If that was not enough, there were limited eating spaces where a pet is allowed.
We did find some places and tried picking the best possible solution. We stayed in Treebo Lalji and Taj Vivanta on the return leg in Aurangabad. The Royal Palms in Nagpur and the Adventure Camp in Panchmarhi.
The Experience.
Our experience was mixed. We realised that ‘Pets Allowed’ means nothing. It is a superficial filter and an obligation. What we need is pet parents to re-classify and tag hotels differently.
The accommodations could be further classified and tagged. ‘Pets Allowed’ is the basic level. ‘Tolerate Pets’ as in Treebo. ‘Welcome Pets’ as in Taj Vivanta. ‘Love Pets’ or ‘Real Pet-Friendly’ loved as in ‘The Royal Palms’ and ‘Adventure Camp’.
Pets allowed or pets accepted hotel was a pure business proposition, and it was a con job. They were ill-equipped for even treating the pet well enough. The authentic pet-friendly accommodation went out of its way to ensure food was available. Pets were allowed access to various areas, and there were not too many restrictions. Actually, one wanted an ambience like Café PeFe in Andheri, where Milo went for his birthday celebration. It is a pet café- where humans are also allowed in. Or one wanted the feel of Manas resort, Igatpuri on Mumbai Nashik Road or the Forest County at Panchgani where a pet is respected – cared for and loved as they should be.
The Need.
Like most other pet parents, I am part of a few social groups of pet owners and do meet pet parents. It is not too tough to understand the level of love care for their pet. For us, Milo Kotnala is the third child in the family. We are always on the lookout for proper care, be it food, medicine, toys, or spending time with him. And that is not special. I think that is true for almost all pet parents.
The Offer.
The marketing person in me has clearly experienced and felt the need for some pet-friendly intervention for travelling pet parents on major routes and in holiday destinations. Yes, there are many claiming to be pet-friendly, however, they need a basic rejig to transform the experience. And I am willing to take it further. I have clear images and thoughts, design and demands. One is looking at is some companies or brands like Pedigree or Drools joining, spearheading or funding to create the experience. It will be is a perfect CSR activity/ initiative for them.
The Request.
Trust me, pet parents will be willing to pay a premium for the experience. You know where to contact me. If you know of authentically pet-friendly places or have first-hand experience- one would love to hear and amplify them. And please do always write your reviews from a pet point of view. It will help many pet parents make the right calls.
BLOG/074/2021.
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