Shaziya's love for pets blossoms into a thriving business in Bandipora

Bandipora, Feb 19: Shaziya Khan, a 29-year-old female entrepreneur from Bandipora district in north Kashmir, has made it her mission to promote compassion towards animals by running a novel pet store.

The postgraduate in English literature from Marder village was surprised by the number of people from rural areas who wanted to keep pets after witnessing the widespread animal abuse in the neighbourhood where she grew up.

Although owning pets has become more common in urban areas, it is still rare in rural areas, Shaziya says, who has recently entered the sector.

"I started the store because I have loved animals since I was a small child," she said.

She was further motivated by the devastating loss of her pet cat due to a lack of medical care.

"I wanted things to change, and for people to care for animals, whether they are pets or stray animals, more humanely."

She cares for many kinds of animals, including birds, cats and other small creatures.Shaziya keeps all of her furry pets in a comfortable space at her home and takes great care of them.

"You must treat these animals with complete professionalism. They are beautiful but also very delicate, so maintaining their cleanliness and well-being with the recommended foods is of utmost importance," Shaziya said.

She also makes sure that every customer who buys a pet from her provides a safe environment for them.

"I have a strong emotional bond with animals, so I find it hard to see stray animals hurt or in a bad condition. It makes me very angry," she added.

According to her, to develop a connection with animals, one needs to feel compassion for them and with practice, one can anticipate changes in their behaviour and health.

Despite the district's remote location, limited pet care infrastructure and low level of public support, Shaziya said there were challenges in opening a pet store, besides catering to the needs of the animals.

"When I first told people that I was going to start a pet business, they would react strangely. They would say that it wouldn't work, but people have eventually become aware of the situation and accept it."

Shaziya said that even though the trend was unpopular in the area at the time, she received positive feedback from many and people came looking for pets, especially cats.

Shaziya initially created an Instagram account as well, and as she started posting, many people contacted her to express their interest in pet ownership.

"Even though it started slowly, it has been a life-changing experience." Many customers, according to Khan have shown interest from rural areas in buying pets.

Moreover, Shaziya  has expanded the small business and has kept animal food, accessories, pet housing, clothing and other items available because according to her, "it is hard for all to find government job opportunities."

"No one should give up hope," Shaziya said, adding, "Even if there are no employment opportunities available for youth, they should try to come up with business ideas, thinking out of the box to help sustain themselves."

Shaziya's parents and her younger sister have been her "pillars of support."

She says they are a close-knit family of four, and they "support each other through their highs and lows".

Shaziya says her parents gave her the "courage to pursue her passion for animal care to new heights".

But for Shaziya, there is a long way to go and she hopes there are sophisticated animal care medical facilities made available in the valley, "which have not been the case so far and it times is a cause of frustration," she pointed out.