Steffi celebrates Pet birthday
For Goa’s dog parents, birthdays are no longer just for humans. As dogs become part of the family, their special days are getting the full treatment — from parties and presents to cakes, dressing up and plenty of pampering.Rachel Palatty, a corporate lawyer from Colva, makes sure her Golden Retriever, Joules, gets the royal treatment. “Joules loves to dress up. She likes when we put necklaces on her, even a tiara,” says Rachel, who recently celebrated her birthday with friendsand their dogs. “Whenever we have a party, she gets very excited because she knows that she will be treated like a princess. So I take a day off and spend as much time as I can with her,” she adds.CAKE, BUT MAKE IT DOG-FRIENDLYFor marketing professional Austina Cardozo, celebrating dogs sparked a business idea. With few dog-friendly options available in Goa, she began baking cakes specially for them. “Dog parents loved celebrating their dogs’ birthdays, but often had no option otherthan regular human cakes — including chocolate cakes, which can be harmful to dogs. That’s where the idea for my pet cakes began.”Dr Jenoshka De Souza, founder of a pet cake shop in Nagoa, Bardez, says, “Dogs have always been part of our family, so making special cakes for them came naturally. That little idea eventually grew into the outlet, offering wholesome, pet-friendly treats.”“I make chicken cakes specifically for dogs, with every cake made completely from scratch. I use wholesome, pet-friendly ingredients and do not add sodium or salt,” she says, adding that each cake is tailored to the dog’s dietary needs.PRESENTS, PARTIES AND PAWSFor Kunal D’Costa, an entrepreneur and financial planner from Margao, birthdays mean cake and family time with Gin (5) and Lara (9). “They are all jumpy even before we finish the birthday song. We make sure all of us — family — are there together to cut thecake.” He also gets them toys to keep them entertained.Steffi Fernandes from Seraulim celebrates her Labrador, Scotchie, and Shih Tzu, Kiba, too. “We treat them as if they were our own children,” she says, adding that family, friends’ dogs and even stray dogs join the celebrations.