For all those animal lovers out there, the world just became a better place, especially when it comes to tasty treats such as cakes, cookies and muffins. What with all the special pet bakeries mushrooming around the country, dogs and other pets can enjoy a variety of delicious bakes fresh from the oven. Pet parents no longer have to feel guilty every time they pop a pastry into their mouths, and are forced to deny their favourite animals of some mouth-watering treats, when safe, organic and healthy snacks are up for grabs.
One of the first to come up with the revolutionary idea of a specialised pet bakery, Kat Ferrara, used her knowledge as a nutritionist and her love for dogs to set-up ‘Waggy Bags Gourmet Dog Bakery’ in Mumbai. Kat, a New Yorker, followed her Indian boyfriend to Mumbai, and identified her calling. Waggy Bags, is now five-years-old and dishes up pupcakes, bow wow biscottis, mini muttleys and chicken cakes on order and even caters to doggie birthday parties. Kat says, “Our recipes are original and our aim is to provide 100 percent fresh and healthy doggy treats made out of produce that is sourced locally and grown organically. We don’t use preservatives, artificial flavouring, and sugar or even manufactured honey.”
A small cake for your pet pal costs around `600 here and birthday party orders will set you back by about `2,000.
Sisters — Divya and Deeksha Rabindra from Bengaluru always found it great fun to bake some yummy treats for their black Labrador, Rocky. They then established ‘Rocky Dog Bakery’ and consulted with vets and nutritionists and developed safe recipes for pets.
Carrots, bananas, apples, honey, yogurt, beetroot and even spinach are used for frosting and colouring. “Carob powder, a chocolate substitute also prescribed for diabetic patients, is used for baking cookies,” says Divya.
In Delhi, Pooja Sabharwal too makes fresh dog cookies and muffins from wholesome ingredients. Her puppy biscuits with cerelac and good dog biscuits with bacon fat and peanut butter are quite a favourite with her canine clientele.