‘Spa treatment’ for sacrificial animals

Service station owner suspends car wash until Eidul Azha to cater to sacrificial animals

RAWALPINDI:

In an interesting development, the owner of a service station near Bhatta Chowk Mandi has put the servicing of vehicles on hold to provide similar services for sacrificial animals ahead of Eidul Azha.

Ballay Khan, the owner of the said service station, told The Express Tribune that the unique offer of cleaning the sacrificial animals thoroughly has not only caught the fancy of the vendors but is also a source of respite for animals suffering in the ongoing heat.

For a base price of Rs200, each sacrificial animal is given a refreshing bath and their coats brushed to perfection, which virtually transforms the appearance of the animals from dust-covered specimens to squeaky clean models.

“Vendors bringing these sacrificial animals from far-flung areas to the cities struggle with keeping their livestock clean, as appearances matter a great deal to potential customers,” Khan told The Express Tribune.

The service station owner said that while the animals arriving to be sold in cities are in good health, their dusty coats are a hindrance in presenting their full potential to prospective clients.

“Once we give their valuable animals a thorough bath and make them spotlessly clean, the vendors take them back to their makeshift enclosures or stalls and sell them with a high profit margin,” he said.

One such vendor, namely Chaudhry Shaukat, acknowledged that it is the desire of every cattle owner that their animals look healthier and more appealing than their competitors’ livestock. “For that, it is necessary that the sacrificial animals be kept clean most of the time, which is a challenge in the mandi due to the lack of relevant facilities and scarce provision of water in the premises,” he said.

Shaukat appreciated the innovative approach of the service station’s owner, terming the arrangements a blessing in disguise for vendors like him and for the animals as well. “In just Rs200, our animals are made spick and span,” he said, adding that the refreshing bath is also good for the health of the livestock.

The vendor urged other service stations in the vicinity of Bhatta Chowk Mandi to follow suit and offer the same services until Eid. “There are thousands of animals in the mandi and only one service station is providing this service. If others start doing this as well, it will generate good profits not only for cattle vendors but will also ensure additional revenue for the service stations,” said Shaukat.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 3^rd, 2022.