Facebook gets poked, free vaccine for Gmail

WhatsApp was there. So were Facebook and Gmail. And they were all either wagging their tales or barking. While Gmail was a Beagle, the other two were stray dogs.

A health check-up camp for pets on Friday, organised by Goodman Chemist at Parel, saw about 730 pets. Not all of them were dogs. There were also cats, rabbits, hen and a mouse.

Goodman, the only chemist in the city that provides medicines and food, exclusively for animals, has been organising this camp for the last nine years.

Says Vishal Patil, owner of Goodman, "We have been in this (chemist) business for 25 years. We have formed the Sangopan Foundation Trust for animals and also work for those who bring injured animals, abandoned pets etc."

There were five veterinary doctors at the camp. As they checked many Labradors, strays, pugs and other breeds, they observed that 60 per cent pet owners don't give vaccinations other than the one to fight rabies.

"Dogs are prone to catch leptospirosis during monsoon. Leptospirosis can easily spread to human beings. Hence, it is important dogs are vaccinated for water-borne diseases as well. Only 40 per cent owners give non-rabi vaccinations to pets," said Dr Sachin Patil.

Brijesh Ambokar, owner of a miniature Pinscher, has learnt many lessons from the camp. "I have been attending the camp for three years now. I get to know every detail that I need for my pet – from latest medicines to new vaccinations – here," he said.

Patil says one can get identity cards from the Animal Welfare Board of India that legally allows you to feed street dogs, cats and animals.

The common breed that came to the camp were Labradors and Pugs. A Chihuahua and four Great Danes also joined in.