Groom machale! Inside this new pet spa in Mumbai, and how you can unwind there

Its getting too hot now to take your pets out on weekend hikes or beach adventures but that doesnrsquot mean dates with your furfriends have to come to an end The trick is to go out but still stay indoorsOn a hot Sunday afternoon in April we head out with our trusty companion Luna the Labrador retriever for a ldquoSoBo daterdquo First mission To get rid of summer scratchies and freshen her up at the pet spa We know what yoursquore thinking ldquoThatrsquos a chore what a borerdquo And normally it would beWhy is it that Labradors love water but not baths Usually when we take our pets to the spa wersquore forced to loiter in the heat nearby for an hour until the session is done Or you find a cafeacute and park yourself there for a bit But with most cafeacutes you canrsquot take your pet inside so after the spa sesh itrsquos straight home Thatrsquos why when we chance upon Zanersquos Cafeacute and Pet Spa in Lower Parel it sounds perfect The pet spa is on the first floor while the ground floor houses a cafeacute that welcomes humans and pets alike making your monthly groomerrsquos visit a shared outing that you can enjoy with your petWhen we get there wersquore pleased to find the spa is spacious and gleaming with its spotless equipment The staff tell us they offer regular grooming services as well as medicated baths oil massage and deep conditioning We pick a regular bath and groom session Luna seems at ease with the employees right away and after assurances to dote on her they send us off with a coupon for a free coffee at the cafeacute downstairs You donrsquot need to tell us twiceVanilla Bean Yogurt Bowl right Booking a grooming session for your pet also gets you a free coffee at the cafe belowAn hour later we get a call that Luna is ready We head upstairs and find her ldquofloofyrdquo and sparkling with a goofy smile on her face mdash the staff are spoiling her silly with treats She seems in a great mood so we head back to the cafeacute to chill togetherThe cafeacute is very clearly a pet loversrsquo space mdash there are punny movie posters with canine wordplay therersquos even a pet menu for your dog to enjoy mdash chicken liver rice lamb stew peanut butter cookies and more mdash while you feast on eggs salads and sandwiches Right away the staff offer Luna water she takes a sip and then dashes off to make a new friend a Husky named Berry Since itrsquos a pet cafeacute the employees and guests are all at ease with dogs running around In no time both dogs get the zoomies chasing each other through the cafeacute Once theyrsquove had their fill both settle down near their respective familyrsquos table Just in time for a snackLuna canrsquot wait to sample her lamb stew right Chilli labneh eggsWe order a lamb stew for Luna and poached eggs and toast for ourselves along with an iced coffee The food and drinks arrive quickly and taste delicious Luna too gives her stamp of approval by wiping her bowl clean in seconds All the items on the human and dog menu are priced reasonably too between R250 and Rs 590While Luna settles down for forty winks we get immersed in a book Before we know it itrsquos past sunset and time for our evening walk Since wersquore in SoBo already we take a quick cab ride to Marine Drive and make a night of it In her freshly groomed glory Luna gains new fans all along the promenade and is all the happier to meet everybody and take selfies with them The day is a resounding success for both us we think to ourselves as we head home already planning our next south Mumbai dateLuna and her new friend from the cafe Berry the HuskyWhere Zanersquos Cafe amp Pet Spa Mathuradas Mill Compound Lower ParelWhen 10 am to 8 pmHow to get there There is limited parking in the compound We recommend getting dropped off at the gate