HANOI – Many families are willing to spend tens of millions of dong per month to send their pets to boarding school in the model of kindergartens, eat according to the regime and enjoy high-class services.
At 7 am, Vu Ngoc Minh Ha and her husband, Tay Ho district, took Bicycle, a Samoyed dog, weighing more than 30 kg, to the place of deposit on Dang Thai Mai street, Tay Ho district, returned to pick up after work.
This is the third year, the 27-year-old woman uses the pet daycare service (Doggy Daycare), from Monday to Friday every week. “My husband and I work all day, leaving the dog at home alone to worry that the child will be stressed, sad because there is no one to play, gradually lose communication skills or destroy furniture in the house,” Ha said. additionally, each month spends 4-5 million VND to “send children”, along with other services such as spa, extra meals, transportation… the cost can be up to 10-12 million VND.
Doggy Daycare is a day care service for busy families. The Doggy Daycare model first appeared in New York (USA) in 1987, spread to many countries and popularized in developed countries.
In Vietnam, this service appeared about 5 years ago and quickly became the choice of many families. Mr. Ta Quoc Hai, 29 years old, owner of the first pet care and care service center in Hanoi (established in 2017) said that most establishments in the country are built according to the standard model. Australia.
Hai’s facility is a four-storey building, divided into 6 areas, each area is over 50 m2. In which, two areas make common living spaces for dogs, two areas for cats, the rest are areas for grooming, trimming, playing and outdoor swimming pools.
When it was first established in 2017, this facility provided home care services, including health check-ups, walks… then opened a spa and hotel for pets. In 2019, Mr. Hai opened monthly dog-sitting classes with 10 employees, when he noticed a great need.
Currently, his facility accepts dogs from three months old, fully vaccinated. Each pet to send has its own profile, detailing eating habits and personality traits for easy access and care by staff.
“Puppies are like children, the hardest is on the first day of class, they may be uncomfortable because they meet strangers or are isolated from new friends. After the first 3-5 days, they will get used to the class, get to know you, and the work. It’s easier to go to school,” said the manager.
In addition to babysitting, the center has trainers to teach pets to defecate in the right place, eat in the right bowl, learn communication commands, how to ride a motorbike or provide home delivery service when the owner is busy. . Small animals can be placed in special bags, transported to school by motorbike. Older children can use cars to ensure safety when transporting.
Currently, the price of care at Mr. Hai’s center ranges from 150,000 VND to 350,000 VND per day, depending on weight. Requests for new skills training, beautification or transportation will be charged separately.
The number of people who spend money on pets like Ha is not small. Currently, the dog-sitting class according to Mr. Hai’s semi-boarding model has nearly 50 permanent students. During the holidays, the number of pets sent can be up to 100. “Most of the customers are foreigners, the Vietnamese owner is 30%, but it tends to increase rapidly,” said Mr. Hai.
Many pet care service owners say that the trend of “Pet Humanisation” in Vietnam is increasingly flourishing. Owners treat pets like family members, with a diet, lifestyle and special care services. This is also one of the reasons pet care facilities are increasingly accepted.
Ms. Tran Ha Thu, 36 years old, manager of a cat care shop on Lac Long Quan Street, Tay Ho District, said that the trend of sending pets to kindergartens will be increasingly diversified and developed due to increased demand, but It still takes time for facilities to invest in common living spaces, playgrounds, swimming pools…
Currently, all three establishments in Hanoi, Saigon and Bien Hoa of Ms. Ha, each place about 20 pets sent monthly, and prices range from 100,000 VND to 400,000 VND per day.
For Ms. Vu Ngoc Minh Ha, the pet nursery service meets all the family’s requirements because pets can eat the right meal, sleep on time, and exercise continuously instead of lying lazily at home waiting for the owner to come home from work. . She is also more secure when all activities of the day of Bicycle are updated continuously or the owner monitors directly through the camera system installed around the classroom.
“Any unusual symptoms of the dog such as cough, fever, fatigue or loss of appetite are captured and notified to the family. Compared to other services, the price here is higher but in return I receive peace of mind. mind,” said the female customer.
Minh Ha admits, that many people say that sending dogs to daycare classes is a bit outrageous, and even more expensive for children to attend private kindergarten. “It’s expensive but it’s worth it because my husband and I can go to work with peace of mind,” said the 27-year-old girl and said that since going to school, Bicycling has become more fun, active to release energy, obeying and behave better. .
Ignoring the gossip, the couple confirmed that they would continue to send bicycles to class. “Not only me, but many dog owners have also been treating them like children, hoping for the best living conditions for their owners to work with peace of mind,” she confided.
