Meet the SHEROES - Vidhi Malla

“I have always loved and had dogs at home. It is this love for dogs that led me to start PawTales in May this year,” says avid pet lover Vidhi Malla.

Vidhi chose to quit the cushioning of the corporate world to set up two dream ventures this year. She speaks to us about her newly started pet care business PawTales while also sharing her thoughts on pet care and management today.

Tell us about yourself 

I was born in New Delhi to Kashmiri migrant parents who always taught me to be passionate about my work and never have regrets. From a young age, we were told to give 100% to whatever we did, no matter how small the work was. If you needed money, you had to work for it. If you want to get a car, you had to work for it and pay the installments, if you wanted to buy an expensive phone; again, you had to work for it. This sense of ownership and being responsible has played a huge role in making me what I am today; an independent, self-driven, woman

In my almost 10 years of working career; 9 precious years have been spent working with the best firms in the communication industry. It has been a year since I gave up the corporate world to focus on two of my passions; writing and dogs. I built another small business along with my dream project: PawTales

Why did you choose to start "Paw Tales"?

I have always loved and had dogs at home. It is this love for dogs that led me to start PawTales in May 2015. Since childhood, I have seen my family members avoiding long trips because we could not trust our pets with anyone.  Even while vacationing, my folks used to be so worried about the canine kids that they would call relatives constantly and check on the kids. In 2014, a chance conversation with a friend let to the observation that the situation was still the same. So I decided to look for opportunities in the pet care industry and finally do something around pets.

Another factor that pushed me to start the boarding was that we were responsible for around 10 canines at home and in our locality, so spending time and taking care of them during work hours was getting tough . I needed a job that would give me the flexibility to look after the kids during emergencies and there was no better way that to own a pet boarding.

What are the core services you offer via your venture?

PawTales is a home-style pet boarding based in Noida. In addition to providing a hygienic and spacious place to stay; we also offer pet grooming and pet-sitting services.

How long has it been since you started and what are your daily challenges in this line of work?

PawTales was started in May 2015 and our biggest challenge has been finding and retaining talent. While we still a small venture, finding the right people to work with is a huge concern for us. In the first month of operation, we had to change our pet-caretaker five times because almost every person we hired (they were all previous working with shelters and NGOs) was doing it for money and had limited love for animals.

When it comes to Pet Care services and products in India, what are the top 3 things you would like to change?

Education and awareness has to be the biggest change driver for both pet owners and service providers. As service and product providers it is our responsibility to create positive touch points and experience

Be sincere in your work and make all efforts to be different

Be passionate about animals and pets

While money is extremely important, it is not the only criteria for success. Try and make a difference to the industry and lives of pets and their parents

What are the top 3 things you would like to tell every pet owner in India?

As pet owners, we have a tendency to ‘ape’ things without actually analyzing their need or use.

Read and understand about your pets, their pets and their issue

Do not blindly trust anyone when it comes to your pet. Learn to question service and product providers like you would in case of a dear one

Pets are a huge responsibility; emotionally, physically and monetarily. Please be completely sure before you get a pet home and spend time with your pets

Can you leave our readers with a few thoughts?

Before I started my venture, I was given the best advice in business and life…NEVER FORGET THE REASON YOU STARTED