A bubble bath, followed by massage, and nail trimming sound like a good day at the spa. What if you are told your pet can get all of this done at your doorstep while you watch him/her snooze during a relaxing paw massage.If your pet is scheduled to attend a function or a photoshoot, there is a special service that includes, dress-up, special combing etc.
Just Groom is a doorstep service started by Chaitra Sai Dasari, a mechanical engineer and postgraduate in business management. She felt the need for a pet grooming service at home when her mother wanted to know who would take care of the grooming, when the family wanted to adopt another pet after their first pet died of old age. After she read about the stress pet-owners went through during the pandemic when they were unable to take their pets to the groomers, Chaitra decided to launch Just Groom in May 2020, for pets born a little into 2020.
With a veterinarian for a father, Chaitra says, “Having grown around animals, I am very fond of dogs and cats. We have always had pets at home and since we groomed them on our own, I understand the task. Most pet owners cannot groom their pets and a visit to a groomer makes some pets anxious. In 2020, I saw the growing need for a grooming service that will not just make pet parents happy but also pamper and make the pets relax. Grooming is not just cosmetic; it is a culture that does a lot for the mental well-being of the pet. A bad bath can cause skin infection/irritation or make them fear grooming
Apart from Chaitra’s personal observations, Just Groom benefited from a few important points suggested by the team of vets at her father’s hospital—Dr Dog. “With their help, and after a brainstorming session, I decided to start a grooming service, where the pet salon comes to their doorstep. The owners need not do or provide anything to the groomers. All they have to do is watch their pets get groomed. I wanted transparency in our work. A lot of pet owners are anxious about the handling, so we made sure the pet owners keep an eye on the entire session. Our groomers are all diploma holders from a veterinary college. Once hired, they are trained in-house for three months under a head groomer,” explains Chaitra.
Just Groom currently operates with three grooming vans that go to all areas of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and attends up to 10 cases every day. Their list of services includes a medicated bath, hair trimming, nail clipping, ear cleaning and more. They use chemicals-free products. For most pets, the entire process takes about an hour but long-haired dogs or huskies take up to 90 minutes. They groom cats as well.
Chaitra adds, “For water babies, we have a special bubble bath – a jacuzzi – and they love it. Also, we use hydraulic tables so that we can avoid lifting the dog and traumatising it. This is very important for pets who don’t like water.”The cost for service varies and depends on the breed of the dog or cat.
Animal lover Chaitra says it gives the team immense joy when they get the opportunity to groom Indie dogs. “ Indie breeds are low-maintenance dogs and more resistant to many diseases. So when bookings for Indies, it makes us all happy to see that there are pet-lovers who still care and treat them well. We get about 10 booking for indies in a month.”
