When the ramp does the talking: Well-bred best friends come out in a rare display

Rude Planet Kennel in collaboration with DA Creek Club gather pet lovers from across the city.

KARACHI: Karachi’s pet industry proved to be remarkably recession-proof this Sunday as animal lovers came to see treasured and well-bred local and imported pets brought by their owners at the Pet Show 2013. The owners expressed, however, different kinds of affection for their pets.

With dogs, cats, kangaroos, ponies, pythons, snakes, crocodile and lambs among others, the pet show was held at the DA Creek Club. It was organised by Rude Planet Kennel and the club itself.

Bullet, the hyperactive Italian Mastiff, Bullet. PHOTOS: AYESHA MIR/EXPRESS

The cool winter weather worked well with the temperament of the hyperactive dogs, docile pythons and terrified lambs. The dogs, however, could not resist gritting their teeth while howling, barking and snarling at other dogs.

The garden had a jumping castle and food stalls were set up but pet lovers were busy trying to befriend animals. There was a food stall for pets as well.

The showstoppers

The owner of Karachi’s first-born Siberian husky, Dr Zafar, said, “We have bred the first Siberian husky of the city.” A black and white furry Oreo from Siberia mated with brown and white Valerie, who gave birth to Ivy, who is now eight months old.

The white coloured Oreo Persian cat. PHOTOS: AYESHA MIR/EXPRESS

“This kind is very rare and they were originally bred by Eskimos to protect their children against other animals,” the doctor smiled. All three of these dogs are heterochromic - one eye blue and the other one brown - which is quite rare among dogs, he said.

A pony, owned by 10-year-old Mahnaz and 19-year-old Myra, was called blue jeans. “The pony was the colour of blue jeans when it came to us from Holland,” said Mahnaz, adding that his colour changed to grayish-brown when he became older. “So we named it blue jeans,” she grinned. A pet handler at the show had a different name for him though, he found Shahrukh Khan easier to spell. Her older sister was quite keen on talking about her other exotics pets kept at their Jatoi family farmhouse in Larkana.

“We have a huge fish farm, red deers, ostriches, white buffaloes and patridges,” exclaimed Myra. When asked why they were fond of exotic animals, she replied flatly, “Our whole family is an animal freak.”

Four-year-old Pakistani Mastiff called Diesel had to be tightly leashed by his owner, Abdullah, as its scary look and strong built scared the people.

Ivy, the first Karachi-born Siberian husky. PHOTOS: AYESHA MIR/EXPRESS

With red-painted toenails, pink watch and purse, neon pink-yellow sweater, red scarf and a red leash, Baby (labrador), was calm resting at her 11-year-old owner, Haseeb, feet on the grass.

Yoshi, the six-year-old British bulldog, frantically jumped up and down while his owner, Sarim, looked bored sitting at one of the camps. “This is my first time at a pet show. I think it is pointless and time consuming,” he sighed.

The scalier ones

The funfair was not complete without its reptiles. With a snake charmer playing a tune in a corner, the Wildlife Experience Centre had its own camp in the crowd.

Their wallaby kangaroo was all white with blood red eyes. A huge yellow-white striped python had its eyes just for its owner, Hamza. The other one wrapped itself around every other poser who was trying to take a picture with it.

“We have taped the mouth of my crocodile so it doesn’t bite,” said Hamza wittingly.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 23^rd, 2013.

Slideshow: Of meows, barks and chirps