Spa to therapy, how pet parents are pampering their furry friends

Our pets are our children, say new-age pet parents, who are willing to shell out whatever it takes to give their furry companions the best life, from jacuzzi spa sessions to pet-friendly vacations

Groom machaa le

It’s a luxe life; Nutty enjoys the jacuzzi at the pet grooming salon named after him. Pic/Anurag Ahire

A regular bath and trim not good enough for your little (or big) fur baby? You can give them a full-on spa treatment, complete with aromatherapy, a jacuzzi, a nice massage…

A carrier such as this one costs up to Rs 4000. Representational pic/iStock

Sharan Sharma, who has been running grooming salon Nutty’s Den at Colaba with her partner Kapil Sharma since 2019, says standard grooming services are today the bare essentials—bathing, blow drying, de-shedding and hair trims. “These are priced basis the size of the breed, typical co-operation and aggression level of these breeds and the skill levels required to provide the right output,” she says. 

The owners of Genius, a  St Bernard in Mumbai, say they spend close to R10,000 on electricity bills due to the house being air-conditioned for the dog. Representational pic/iStock

“Spa treatments include therapeutic and rejuvenating services with long-term benefits. These include services like our signature Jacuzzi experience and organic oil massages with a variety of oils such as cold pressed hemp seed oil and other organic oils. These can be availed as add-on services at prices starting at R500 going up to Rs 1500,” Sharma adds. 

Kapil and Sharan Sharma, owners of Nutty’s Den. Pic/Anurag Ahire 

Including both cats and dogs, Nutty’s Den grooms approximately 350-400 pets in a month. 

What: Luxe grooming
Cost: Rs 2500 to Rs 4000

Purrfectly pampered

Tej Malkani and her cat Mimi

Cat parents are no different from dads and mums of human kids. Nothing is too good for the little one! Generally, however, cats are lower-maintenance than dogs.

Cat parent Tej Malkani says that in the case of breeds such as the Persian, veterinary care may be high depending on conditions that such cats are prone to, but otherwise cat expenses would not be as high as for dogs. 

Tej says, “I firmly hold that cats should not be given treats because cats are different from dogs. They crave special attention; it’s the way you call their name or the way you spend time with them and how you treat them specifically—that’s the real treat. Most of the time my cat just wants me to scratch her face and say her name.”

“The real treat for a cat is not food but one-on-one time—when they are ready for it. Cats love and respond at their time, unlike dogs who are ever ready,” she adds.

Mimi’s monthly expenses
. Food Rs 2000
. Litter Rs 800
. Grooming Rs 500
. Vet Rs 800
Total Rs 4100

Snoop (on) dog

Representational pic/iStock

It’s not only detective dogs who are equipped with the latest in technology; pampered pooches too get gizmos to order.

When you are away and want to keep an eye on your furry housemates, and a regular nanny cam is just not enough, there are hi-tech options such as the Skymee Petalk AI. This is a pet camera with a built-in treat dispenser, allowing owners to remotely interact with their pets, dispense treats, and monitor them via a mobile app. It has features like two-way audio and 180-degree rotation, so you can check on your pet at all times. It is not yet available in India, and on its website it costs around Rs 15,000 plus shipping. 

At the Mobile World Congress 2025, GlocalMe showcased their PetPhone, a smartphone designed for pets which clips onto the collar and apparently allows for two-way communication between pets and humans, using features like action recognition and sound such as barking. It also includes GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth tracking, and activity monitoring. It’s not on the GlocalMe website yet, but they make a key tracker which costs around Rs 5000, not counting shipping.  

What: Gadgets
Cost: Rs 5000 to Rs 15,000

Om nom nom, indeed

Representational pic/iStock

The days when pet owners cooked in their homes or bought commercial food for their furry companions are long gone. Now options include not just high-end branded food, but also custom-cooked food for dogs and cats that saves you trouble and gives you the satisfaction of feeding them the best.

Among options we checked out are Lizzy’s, which has a wide range of cooked food and yoghurts that you can order online. Prices range from R399 for the 900-gm egg-and-paneer meal, to Rs 799 for the 900-gm three-meat meal. These are in sealed packs and can be refrigerated or frozen. 

Another similar pet meal provider is PetChef, which has meals starting from Chicken Chow at Rs 100 for 100 gms, and also superfoods like bone broth at Rs 125 for 100 ml.  

What: Custom-cooked meals
Cost: Rs 100 to Rs 799

Treat them right

The average veterinarian is what in human terms would be a GP—a general practitioner, the first line of defence against ailments. Those who have read James Herriot’s veterinary stories may recall the brilliant surgeon Granville Bennett, to whom Dr Herriot takes serious patients. The equivalent of Dr Bennett are now the specialists that your pet may be referred to by your regular veterinarian.

Dr Chandrashekhar Bapat, a veterinary surgeon at Dr Bapat’s Pet Hospital, says that specialisation started around 10 or 15 years ago, and has taken off especially in cities as owners have become more aware about their pets’ health.

“When my father started his practice 35 years ago, there was no such thing as specialisation. Now, in Mumbai, there are specific cancer, ophthalmic and orthopaedic vets,” he says, “In our hospital, which functions 365 days, 10am to 10pm, we have specialists on the staff. I handle surgeries, Dr Avril Walters handles cardiac cases, and Dr Archana Bapat is a specialist in exotic animals and birds.” 

A basic consultation at the hospital costs Rs 350-500, while consultations with a specialist cost Rs 1500-2500. 

What: Medical specialities
Cost: Rs 350 to Rs 2500+

How do you feel?

Ava Wadia 

OK, so maybe the dog or cat won’t lie on the couch and tell the therapist their feelings, but there is no denying that animal psychologists have an important role in pet life today. From puppy training to “difficult dogs”, animal therapists deal with it all.

Dog behaviourist Ava Wadia explains that common issues dogs face are reactions with other dogs. Some are also scared of going outside, or are afraid of new people.

There was a time when such issues were brushed under the dog bed, but owners are now realising that their pets’ mental wellbeing is as important as their food and exercise. And they don’t mind factoring that into their budgets too.

Puppy training is R3000 for a consultation, and the package including 10 training sessions is Rs 28,000. For older dogs with behaviour issues, the first consultation is Rs 4000 and followup sessions are Rs 2500. Oh, and the humans need to attend with the dog.

Wadia says she gets two to three new clients a month, on average, which is encouraging for the mental health of our furry population. 

What: Therapy
Cost: Rs 3000 to Rs 28,000

Paw-cations for the entire family

Kannagi Shanbag; (right) A room with a view at Wag-A-Bond resort in Karjat

We know about city hotels that welcome guests with pets, but the latter can’t be more than 15 or 20 kg in weight (they say nothing about the human guests), so that rules out bigger dogs. That’s when it’s time to head out of the city. 

We came across Wag-A-Bond, in Karjat, which describes itself as a “pet-first retreat”. There’s no size limit here, and owner Kannagi Shanbag says they’ve hosted pooches from toy-sized Maltese all the way to Cane Corsos.

Some guests bring their dogs “religiously” once a month for carefree leash-free time, says Shanbag, and the staff now know what to make for their meals too. Guests can bring their own food for their pets, or opt for the resort’s own house-made food. With food, a day’s dog stay is priced at Rs 800, while the room charges start at Rs 5000 for double occupancy. On average a guest spends about R8500 at minimum for a stay at Wag-A-Bond, and we’re sure the dogs think it’s worth it. 

What: Holidays
Cost: Rs 6000 to Rs 8,500

Wow to the bow

Part of the family celebrations, Ollie with Vivek Rai. File pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Dog parents are no different from dads and mums of human kids. Nothing is too good for the little one! Scenes of dogs wearing hoodies are now cutely common, and when monsoon arrives it’s time for raincoats and boots, too.
 
In fact, the overly smooth flooring that new buildings generally have can, over time, lead to or exacerbate arthritic issues and conditions such as dysplasia in dogs, as they can’t get a good grip on the floor—so even daily shoes for dogs make sense. 

Golden Retriever Ollie may not wear shoes daily but he does get a shower of pampering in a myriad other ways. Ollie’s human Vivek Rai says this is well worth it, as Ollie is no different from their human child.

“If we go on holiday, it’s only natural to take Ollie with us; unless it’s just not possible, in which case someone from the family stays back to be with him,” says Rai. “There’s practically nothing we wouldn’t do for Ollie.”

Rai is matter-of-fact about the lifestyle that Ollie is treated to. “When we are good to him, it’s a form of positive reinforcement; plus, when he feels good we feel good. It’s a win-win.”

Some dog trainers advocate against pampering your pooch too much, as it can lead to aggression issues, and also makes training more difficult. The answer is to arrive at a judicious mix of love and discipline—just like for a child of any species! 

Ollie’s monthly expenses
. Spa R2800
. Chicken R3200
. Treats R1400
. Eggs R2000
. Other basics (rice, chapati, coconut oil): R1500
Total Rs 9900

Rs 27 lakh cr
Estimated value of global pet care industry 
Source: Bloomberg Intelligence

Rs 30,000 cr.
Estimated value of India’s pet care industry ($3.5 billion) (R30,000 crore)
Source: Redseer Strategy Consultants

Rs 6 lakh
Cost of a total hip replacement, possibly the most expensive veterinary procedure, which may be recommended if a dog suffers from severe hip dysplasia
Source: MetLife Insurance

Rs 900
Starting monthly premium for pet insurance in India
Source: PolicyBazaar

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