Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Though most people support current lockdown enforced in the city to control the outbreak of coronavirus, some are getting impatient. Raising the concern for voiceless, pet shop owners met administration officials on Saturday and urged to allow them to open their shops for two hours.
“We receive emergency calls every day from our customers because they are running out of animal feed, especially in cases of exotic species of fishes, turtles etc.” Ajay Jainkar, pet shop owner association member, said. He added that delivering animal food to customers is difficult.
“We don’t have a delivery channel. Secondly, all animal feed and stock are at the shop, so it is not possible to supply as per demand,” Jainkar said. Another shop owner Jayant Rathore said, “It’s not just about pets in city. It is also about pets owned by us and kept in store.” He added that all the shop owners own a stock of pets for sale who also need to be fed and looked after.
“They includes fishes, birds, dogs, cats etc, which we cannot keep at home. We keep them at our shops,” Rathore said. The association urged the administration to allow them to feed the animals in shops and deliver pet food.
Pet shop owners in Shivaji Market, Indore |
Animal activist Priyanshu Jain said, “I have spoken to MG road police station incharge for Shivaji Market pet shops and ASP for pet shops in Kanadia, Tilak Nagar and Vijay Nagar in this connection.” “We have been assured that police administration will allow pet shop owners to feed food to fishes twice a day and open shop for the same,” she added.
“Also if pet owners need any food for birds, fishes, dogs, cats and other animals, then pet shops at Dawa Bazaar are open and they can pick up animal feed from there,” Priyanshu said.
