Planning a trip but worried about your most prized possession-your pet? Well, fear not as Chandigarh now boasts of several kennels with boarding facilities. From air-conditioned enclosures to toys, such pet hostels offer a wide variety of services to make your pets feel at home while you are away.

Tanvi, an animal lover, says: “Travelling with a pet can be quite tedious. On vacations, I usually have to hire an air-conditioned taxi to move around so that my dog is comfortable. It is also very difficult to find pet-friendly hotels.”

Most pet hostels provide a friendly and hygienic environment for holiday boarding. At a well-kept centre, each pet is allotted a separate enclosure, usually air-conditioned or well-ventilated. Pets are pampered with goodies and toys to ensure they don’t miss their owners. But all this luxury comes at a price — daily charges range between Rs 150 and Rs 350, which may or may not include medical and meal charges.

Before admission, most hostels make a note of the pet’s eating habits, meal timings, walk timings and behaviour. The kennels usually tie up with vets for medical services in case a pet falls sick. There are some hostels, though, that consult only the vet authorised by the pet owner.

Shiv Kaushal, a city-based dog trainer who provides pet boarding, states: “This helps ensure transparency. The pet owner cannot be handed over fake medical bills if a vet recommended by him is consulted.”

Despite its good points, pet boarding is yet to catch on in the city with many people still hesitant to leave their pets with unfamiliar folks. Pet owner Kimisha says: “I would rather leave my dog with a neighbour or friend than in a pet hostel.”

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