A cat at a dog rescue shelter and pet taxi services — this is what this 28-year-old's shelter in Hyderabad is up to

For a calm and composed cat, Ibris is making the dogs jumpy, we think, as we talk to Panneeru Teja while we hear barks in the background. Teja is the founder of Scoobies Pet Services, he also runs a store and a mini shelter, plus, he is a dog trainer and behaviourist. So, what's a cat doing at their shelter in Nallakunta? While out and about during one of his rescues, the 28-year-old spotted three men with sticks and a bag that wouldn't stay still. The Hyderabadi put two and two together with the experience of rescuing dogs for two years and called the police. While they were able to nab two of the men, the cat was in need of some major TLC. So, Teju took it to the shelter. "Once healed, we opened the doors to let it out, but it just stayed. So in some ways, it was the cat who adopted us," says the youngster. 

Teja with a dig | (Pic: Panneeru Teja)

When it comes to canine behaviour and training in India, Shirin Merchant is one of the best in the business. It was from her that Teja learnt about canine care and behaviour and was certified in it in 2016. "I firmly believe in positive reinforcement and training with the dog parent," says Teja. And when he is not occupied with this, all his energy is directed towards the shelter that he started recently. It's a humble two-room shelter with a lot of open space and is located on the terrace of the same building that Teja resides in. "The intention was not to burden existing shelters, plus, we don't overpopulate our shelter either. There are only seven dogs here at any given point of time," informs the youngster who is flooded with rescue calls and manages them all with their network of 70 volunteers strewn around the city.
 

They also offer pet grooming services along with accessories and food. Teja has trained over 40 dogs till date

What's more recent is their pet taxi services that they started during the lockdown. A Maruti Eeco and a volunteer are dedicated to ferry dogs and their parents from one point in the city to another. "No autos or even cabs usually allow animals. Hence, we offer pet taxi services in this more-than-spacious car, which can easily accommodate two dogs, and we have foldable cages too," shares the youngster who started his journey when he was 15 years old and a volunteer at Blue Cross. In fact, he informs us that recently, they transported a dog and a dog parent to Dharwad in Karnataka. Surely, this is a service that is as handy as it gets. 

How to train your dog?
- Training with games is infinitely easier
- Encouraging your dogs to socialise is better for them
- Clicker training, or mark and reward, is effective
- Practice behaviours in a variety of situations

For more on them, check out facebook.com/Scoobies-Pet-Services-424529941293074/