Food for the pet at your doorstep

New Delhi, July 15: The next time you want to dial a pizza and you spot that hungry look in your dog`s eyes too, don`t feel guilty. Just pick up the phone and order some tail-wagging crunchies for your pet as well!Pet food is being delivered within minutes at the doorstep. Many agencies have mushroomed in the Indian capital providing such free home delivery services.

Surendra Shirkoli, who last year started a company that makes and delivers fresh food for dogs daily, says the business is a runaway hit. The east Delhi-based firm today has over 100 clients. "We have a monthly subscription fee of Rs.1,650 that gets you two meals every day. Our clients like the fact that the food is fresh and without preservatives," he states. "The food is made in consultation with dog experts and veterinarians on aspects like the amount of meat and vegetables to be used," Shirkoli told IANS. But if your pet doesn`t enjoy fresh food, don`t fret. Many companies deliver packaged or tinned food as well. "We deliver all popular brands of pet food like Pedigree and other imported brands. The home delivery service is free of cost and we only charge the cost of the food product from our clients," said Ajay Guliani of A to Z Animals Clinic in Mayur Vihar in east Delhi. "The concept of free home delivery services of pet food is comparatively new but since it provides pet owners with comfort, it is being accepted readily," added Guliani. Vinod Kumar of Delhi Pet School said, "Of course, it is a very good idea to deliver pet food at home. I will say it`s just about the convenience of your clients. There are times when your pet`s favourite food is not available in the nearby store, then what? In such a case, a home delivery number can be very handy." "I have plans to start a free home delivery service very soon," added Kumar. The school is all-in-one as it provides all possible facilities related to a pet, ranging from dog accessories to day boarding to a clinic. Pet owners have liked the concept. "Every time I used to see a free home delivery vehicle, I used to wish that there were something similar for Scoobie, my pet dog. Now I have it. These services are very convenient, especially when I am off to office and my maid has to take care of him alone," said Shubhi Gupta, a resident of Noida, who calls her pet dog a family member. Ranjani Sen Gupta, a resident of Chittaranjan Park in south Delhi, however, said these services are partial to pet dogs and very few provide home delivery of cat food. "Most of the free home delivery services deliver only dog food. I think this is where this service is actually lacking," said Sen, the owner of two pet cats, Billo and Rani. Pet food retailers feel these home delivery services are only available in a few parts of the city, so they still have a lot of clients at their stores. "Despite the fact that free home delivery of pet food is available, many people come to our stores because of the simple reason that there is accessibility. These home delivery services are available only in some parts of the city," said Vinod Kumar, owner of Sicons-The Pet Safari, a dog food retail shop. IANS