For tourists and natives, finding a good, economical pet grooming service for your fur babies in Goa is near impossible. For tourists, especially those who want to travel with their pets to Goa, 'From Scruff to Fluff' is your one stop shop to go to, and it's mobile.
Let’s find out more about the mind behind this very personalised grooming service – Alrich de Sa. And, a reference to 'mind' would be apt, since Alrich has an MA in clinical psychology.
An empathetic human being, who immerses his heart and soul in his work, his love for animals is obvious. The young man’s deep connection with our four-legged furry friends is rooted in his mother’s affinity for animals.
He says, “My mother loved animals, I remember being four and having more than ten dogs around me in the tiny flat where I grew up in Chicalim. I believe we had 14 dogs and about 16 cats in a tiny flat that wasn't even a two bedroom.”
Although he began his pursuit of the study of psychology with the intent of saving others from the trauma he experienced as a child, he decided to change career pathways.
Despite financial difficulties, Alrich’s mother remained undeterred in her care for animals. “I learned the love of animals all through my difficult times and that stays with me till today. My parents are currently deceased, but my mother's love for animals has stayed with me,” he says.
Although he began his pursuit of the study of psychology with the intent of saving others from the trauma he experienced as a child, he decided to change career pathways.
He muses, “Human psychology is interesting. The more complex an organism, the more complex the understanding of it is.”
“Through my studies in psychology, I understood more and more of how much one human can hurt another human and still sleep peacefully at night,” he says.
"Be it adults against adults, or worse, adults against children, it disgusted me, it reminded me of my past. It is the reason I quit. Because if I'm hurt, I'm unable to, and morally should not be in a position to, help others who are hurting,” he adds.
He continues, saying, “Animals, however, are non-judgmental, ever loving and committed to the end. A piece of bread with a dog is a piece of your heart for its entire life. That’s why I quit human psychology and pursued animal welfare. We have too many people caring for people with small problems, but very few people caring for animals with big problems.”
From Scruff to Fluff was started two years ago with the motivation to earn independence. He says, “I wanted to be my own manager, at the same time have people in the same field receive equal, if not bigger, opportunities to receive animal healthcare.”
He desired to spur others on to open a business similar to his, or even be able to provide equipment and funds to see them successful, the underlying goal being animal and human peace.
At From Scruff to Fluff, the main service offered is a bath package, which includes two rounds of a deep-cleanse shampoo bath, along with a nail trim and ear cleanse.
Fifteen years of working with animals and certification as a veterinary assistant at WVS HICKS, ITC, Assagao, has equipped Alrich to offer medical care under the supervision of a veterinarian.
“Animals don't talk. They speak! Humans talk too much, but speak little. For those who listen, speech is a song, while talk is noise,” says Alrich.
He continues, “Animals live relatively shorter lives than us humans, and it is our duty to help them unconditionally. Those are my perks. The feeling of saving a life and going to bed knowing so.”
One of the joys of working with animals is their ability to unwittingly create humorous situations. Alrich recounts bathing an elderly dog. Halfway through the nail cutting, the dog let out some gas and startled himself. Alrich says, “This put him on alert and scared us, too. The smell was nasty but we soldiered through it.”
Animals have an uncanny ability to communicate what they are going through with those who care for them.
“A dog with a maggot wound, who was usually right-handed (handing out paws for petting), handed out her left paw to let us know she had a wound, and we treated it,” relates Alrich. Animal behaviour definitely gives us food for thought.
About facing hurdles while growing his enterprise, Alrich answers in the affirmative, recounting the amount of time and financial loss one must bear initially.
He says, “You need to develop your identity, be affordable even if it's a loss financially, build relationships and maintain commitments. With a team of one or two, this relationship takes months if not years.”
He rightly admonishes people who complain about stray dogs, when it is humans who act irresponsibly by not sterilising pets, despite discounts and even free offers.
The compassionate young man believes that education is vital to improve the treatment of animals. “We need to end the superstitious beliefs and adhere to modern beliefs. Tradition is important, but where it is important, is what we need to think about,” says Alrich.
He rightly admonishes people who complain about stray dogs, when it is humans who act irresponsibly by not sterilising pets, despite discounts and even free offers. He stresses, “We are at fault. Not the animals. Goa treats animals well compared to other states, but I say we can do better.”
Alrich confides that From Scruff to Fluff began as a charity, which has now become a full-time commitment. To him it is an endeavour, rather than a business.
And he would love to see it flourish, partnering with suppliers, veterinarians, animals rescuers, etc, for he says, “I wish for more people to start their own brands as I have. That way, it's not a matter of competition or jealousy, but a partnership for the betterment of the animals.”
DETAILS
WHAT: From Scruff to Fluff
LOCATION: Mobile service
INSTAGRAM: @from.scruff.to.fluff
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/alrich.desa