Pet parents don’t have it easy in a big city. Want of space and financial surplus leaves many of them in the confines of a rented house and the whims of its landlord. Apartments and gated communities come with their own set of limitations, even when you happen to own them — irritant neighbours, overbearing residents’ association and what not.
Those blessed with independent houses too may not always be able to count on ample space for their animal companions. Bollineni Hillside, while far more advantaged than many, has a combination of these constraints thrust upon its pet-owning populace. Here, however, the residents’ association managed to find a please-all solution — a park exclusively for the merriment of pets.
“We have these pet owners who — because of pressures from the society — do not have a place where they can freely run around; the dogs are always on a leash. Then, there is this additional pressure of making sure the pet doesn’t poop on the road or pavement and such. So, what we’ve done is take one small portion of our children’s park that was unutilised for long, cleaned it and converted it into a space for pets and their owners.
Residents can come at any time of the day, let their pets run around and play while they sit down with a book or chat with fellow pet owners,” explains Commander Satish Chandrasekaran (Retd), president of Bollineni Hillside Residential Towniship Owners Association. The park will have essential tools for the pet parents to handle their dog’s mess.
All this was made possible with the effort of a few pet parents and dog lovers within the gated community. To ensure that the spirit of the endeavour is carried forward, the pet park comes with a set of rules for residents wishing to use it. From a vaccination mandate (for pets) to handling timeshares, it covers everything required for a happy, trouble-free playtime for pets and parents alike.
While the park will be open for all pet-owning residents from today, its trial runs with a few dogs from their midst have been quite a success, shares Satish. Soon, they plan to stock the park with a few playthings and elements that will make it more enjoyable for the pets.
Even as this park is not open to the strays in the neighbourhood, the community has been doing their part to the peaceful coexistence of humans and canines. With money from their residents’ association funds and the help of Blue Cross of India here, they have neutered every stray dog in their vicinity and released them back from where they were taken, says Satish. While Bollineni Hillside may not be the ideal place for a park for strays, its pet park could serve as a good example for anyone wanting to offer similar comforts for their canine companions. At least, that’s the hope.
The park will be open to pet-owning residents of Bollineni Hillside from today. From a vaccination mandate (for pets) to handling timeshares, it covers everything required for a happy playtime.