Most pet parents will agree that having your own vehicle is a boon when you have a furry companion at home. But, when you don’t have access to your own vehicle, how easy or difficult is it to travel within the city with your pets or community animals for visits to the vet or even a day out in Kolkata?
Some app-cab services like Uber offer the options like Uber Pet to travel with your pets. However, unlike in some other Indian cities including Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai and Bengaluru, these services are not yet operational in Kolkata. There are some private cab services in the city, but only a few.
My Kolkata reached out to pet parents in the city to understand the challenges of travelling with their dogs and cats using public transport like app-cabs and taxis. Here’s what they had to say…
Rejections and delays
When using cab services to travel with her cats Khejur and Minu, Tamoha Majumdar, a university teaching assistant, ensures that her cats are in secure carriers. “Most of the time, cab drivers accept taking my cats along since I put them in carriers, which keeps them away from direct contact with the car seats. We have been refused a few times, but it is rare,” said the Garia resident.
Tamoha Majumdar with one of her cats
However, the challenges arise in medical emergencies, when pet owners have to wait for a long time to find a vehicle and face rejections from cab drivers. “Sometimes, the cab might take too long to arrive, and some drivers do not allow pets at all. So, I have to ask them if it’s alright with them if I have my cats with me,” she added.
Unlike Tamoha’s smaller pets, Howrah-based software engineer Sourav Lahiri does not have the option of having Togo, his four-year-old Labrador in a pet carrier. His work requires him to stay in a different state right now, and Sourav’s ageing parents, who are Togo’s primary caregivers, sometimes cannot arrange for transportation in time to take her to the veterinarian, leading to delays in her treatment.
Sourav Lahiri with Togo, his four-year-old Labrador
“My parents are getting older and since there are no proper cab services for pets in the city, it becomes difficult for them to arrange for transportation. Whenever they need to take my pet to the vet or anywhere else, they face the same struggle of finding transport. The situation is even more challenging because I am not there to help them,” he said, adding that he often feels that people like him who have pets “must have a personal car, because the lack of proper transportation options for pets makes it incredibly difficult to handle emergencies, adding to the stress of an already critical situation.”
Harassment and extra charges
Pet parents also face harassment while travelling in a cab or other transports with their pets, despite having to pay extra charges. A practising advocate of Calcutta High Court, Asmita Mitra shared an incident that happened to her recently, while she was travelling with pet cat, Tiktiki, who was unwell at the time.
Asmita Mitra and pet cat, Tiktiki
“My cat had a severe UTI and I went to the Animal Diagnostic Centre in Gariahat with him for an X-ray and ultrasound. On the journey home, as soon as the cab arrived the driver immediately asked me in a very rude tone what kind of animal I am travelling with,” said the Behala resident. While the driver allowed Asmita and Tiktiki into the cab, it was “very clear through his actions that if it was a dog then he wouldn’t have allowed it. I kept quiet that day as I knew it was necessary to bring my boy back home as early as possible as he was very ill,” Asmita added. When having to make a planned visit with her cat, she usually hires a car in advance as last-minute arrangements often lead to having to cancel plans.
This cycle of rejections and rudeness is often worse for carers of community animals. Madhurima Roy Chowdhury, a freelance content writer based in Sinthee More, consistently faces rejections from cab drivers while trying to book rides not just for her pet, but also for the street dogs she takes to the veterinarian for treatment.
Madhurima Roy Chowdhury and her furry friends
“I usually don’t travel with my pet, but I take my stray babies to vets or hospitals, and in those cases, I have faced refusals. Drivers don’t want to allow any stray animals. And even if they do, they charge a lot more than usual,” she said, while also mentioning that some cabbies are really good and agree to help without any extra charges, but “they are very few.”
Can services like Uber Pet help?
When asked if Uber/Ola services for pets would be helpful if introduced in the city, most pet parents welcomed the idea, calling it a ‘game-changer’ that could improve the current scenario.
Howrah-based central government employee, Samonaya Bera, said that Ola and Uber offering pet-friendly services would be very convenient for pet owners. “Without the need for advance planning, such services would enable impromptu pet travel,” the pet parent said, but added that there are parameters to keep in mind when offering these services.
Samonaya’s dog, Kuttush
“These services should ideally provide amenities like experienced drivers, pet-friendly car alternatives, and transportation safety guarantees. These services are especially helpful for grooming appointments, veterinarian visits, and pet-related vacations. However, the dependability and execution of these things would determine their efficacy,” said the parent of a nine-year-old Spitz mix, Kuttush.
While app-cab services can be a big benefit, there are concerns about the higher charges for these services. Uber Pet had recently faced backlash after a LinkedIn post by a Gurgaon resident expressed anger at the three-times higher charges levied by Uber Pet — a concern shared by many pet parents.
Debadrita and her mother with their pets
Debadrita Biswas, parent to a Shih Tzu and a cat, shares this concern. The independent researcher and translator said, “Pet cab services are probably going to be useful, but I am concerned about the pricing. I came across a few private pet cab services that charge at least three times the usual cab cost. If that is the general scenario, then pet taxi services will not be helpful for me.”
While major app-cab platforms are yet to launch pet cab services in Kolkata, there still are a few private cab services available in the city.
Pet cabs services in Kolkata
Zobo Cabs: Based in Newtown, Zobo Cabs offers a wide range of vehicles which includes intr-city rides, outstation trips, and vet visits. The cab service also provides rescue assistance and emergency support.
Contact number: 9831359369, Email ID: care@zobocabs.com
BroomBroom Cabs: BroomBroom Cab is a service that offers outstation transport for pets and their families. The Bengal unit of the cab service is located in Rishra, Hooghly. However, BroomBroom Cabs will take only one pet per cab.
Contact number: 8240828414, Email ID: support@broomboomcabs.com
Payal’s Pet Cab: The Kasba-based cab service offers transport and a waiting service for up to two hours, only within city limits.
Contact number: 9874272716; Price: Rs 30 per kilometre