These pawsome pet-boarding places offer more than just a place to stay

Monsoon tourism has taken off in the last couple of years and people are heading to popular destinations instead of being rained in. For pet parents, however, it's not as simple as putting on hiking shoes and putting out a thumb when the travel bug bites. After all, who will look after their dogs, cats, bunnies or birds when they are off enjoying exotic wonders? Taking them along is not always possible, nor finding pet-sitters always plausible. Dog crèches and cat boarders often keep their furry charges locked in cages or leashed up all the time, only letting them out for the occasional walk or trip to the litter box. There are, however, a few places where one can leave pets to have their own fun.

Pawfect Life is one such example, located smack in the middle of Andheri's thoroughfare. Niharika Sekhri wanted a space where dogs could interact and keep each other company instead of having their own allotted enclosures. "We only leash the naughty ones," says Sekhri, whose boarding house also doubles as a petting centre. "I have six therapy dogs specifically to interact with customers, but visitors can pet the boarders too."

For pets who prefer plenty of space to run around, Apsans Canine Resort Thane is a good option. While the dogs are kept in individual enclosures, they can gambol about on the lush fields, which are a part of the compound during play hours.

BnB For Pooches

Inspired by AirBnB, Waggle is a bed-and-breakfast system for pooches. Having started out in Bengaluru, it has spread to other cities. Much like Airbnb, dog lovers open their homes to furry guests. "We ensure that people taking the dogs in are animal lovers with proper credentials and have owned dogs of their own," assures Shubha Iyer, a Waggle employee.

Luxury Hotel For Pets

Critterati, a year-old pet boarding, is the epitome of canine luxury in Gurugram. Pets (Critterati can house 25-30 dogs, and an almost-complete cat condo will accommodate six felines) are kept here in 24-hour air conditioned comfort. There's also a swimming pool, and an in-house 'spa' where the pampered pooches can enjoy an hour-long massage and bath. Grooming sessions, including dog nail polish in vibrant colours, are some of the services offered to the 'buddies', as the dogs are called.

Just like in a hotel, 'rooms' here are available in categories – standard, deluxe, and suites –with incremental amenities and charges. Deluxe rooms, for instance, have in-room flat screen televisions featuring 'dog TV content', and a webcam for parents to keep a check on what their four-legged wards are up to. Suites – there are five kinds named junior, royal, family, twins, Critterati – offer desirous features such as 'personalised balcony' and 'natural light with city view' (even though the 'view' itself is a not too tempting one of a road and Gurugram's high-rises).

The charges? Starting from Rs 999 a day for a standard room for a small breed who's going to be lodged for a month or more (prices go up as the duration of stay becomes shorter) to Rs 4,499 a day in the Critterati Suite for extra-large breeds. Steep, perhaps, but Critterati is located in the immediate vicinity of Galleria Mall in DLF Phase 4, one of the poshest parts of Millennium City, and so doesn't seem to have a dearth of takers.

More Than Canines

While there are plenty of places to leave dogs, cats and other animals don't always find as many spots for boarding. This is why Koel Chatterji opened Meow Baari in Kolkata, specially for boarding cats. Meow Baari is simply Chatterji's house, which she has cat proofed. At a time though, they see as many as 20 cats. But there are some rules. "I always insist that cats need to have all their shots before coming in," she says, adding that this also helps to raise awareness among pet parents. "People often leave cats with me for a few days after they are neutered or spayed, so that proper care can be taken."

A place for pets of all nature is Jerusha's Lovin Vacation Home for Pets in Bengaluru. Dogs, cats, birds, rabbits and mice all have their own space. "I used to live in a much smaller home, but have shifted to a bungalow, so I can have separate rooms for cats and dogs as well as fenced-in enclosures for the dogs to run around," she says, adding that only her own dogs are allowed in feline company, since they are trained.

So, you can go off on your holiday adventure guilt-free, knowing that your pups will have a vacation of their own!

—With inputs from Gargi Gupta