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Unlock 2.0: Pet salons and vets call for caution, avoid crowding
Delhi-NCR pet salons and clinics share precautions that must be taken when allowing their furry housemate for a grooming appointment, amid Covid-19 pandemic.
Pet parents living in zones where the access to pet parlours and veterinarian services are allowed, had started thronging the parlours as soon as they reopened post lockdown. But then the influx of pet parents lead to overcrowding of these places. Now, most of the pet clinics and grooming salons, which are operational, have decided to take to strict precautionary measures. “To avoid over crowding, we have been asking all our clients to make prior appointments. No walk in is being entertained, unless it’s an emergency. Additionally, it’s also the responsibility of people to check their temperatures and ensure that they don’t come out from a hotspot just to visit a groomer,” says veterinarian Santosh Kumar who has clinics in Gurugram and Delhi.
In the present phase of unlock, when most are expected to stay indoors and avoid the spread of Covid-19, many pet parents — who are tired of grooming their pets by themselves in the last three-four months — are visiting pet salons in desperation. The grooming salons that are open, have resorted to strictly practising social distancing. Akshay Mahendru, owner of a pet salon, says, “We are doing grooming on appointment basis only, and allotting slots for each pet parent, who can get the service done and move out without coming in contact with another person. Only the pet goes inside, and the parents can wait in the car or go buy groceries. We don’t want them to wait in the facility.”
Pet groomers have also been advising pet parents to clean their pets clean before they venture out for a salon visit. “When you leave your home, wipe your dog’s collar and leash with an antibacterial wipe or soapy water and then make them get into your car. When you reach the salon or clinic for your dog’s appointment, ensure that you are the only client being allowed inside. Avoid getting inside if there are customers waiting for the place to be vacant. Ensure that you and the clinic staff are wearing masks and gloves at all times, and sanitizer is available for use,” advises Preeti Sood, a Delhi-based pet groomer, adding, “For grooming, it’s advisable to leave your dog in the care of your groomer and come back to pick up once the grooming is over. Upon returning, don’t go inside the salon and wait for the staff to get your dog to the car. Use digital payment options to avoid contact.”
Kumar opines, “Dogs haven’t been proved as biological carriers of coronavirus. However, we need to ensure to dab a little bit of sanitiser and run it through our pets’ body and their paws, each time you are back from your visit to the vet or groomer. Ensure that you also wipe down the leash and the collar again.”
