Ruff time: Mumbai airport’s 3 therapy dogs abducted; company says ex-employee stole them as revenge
The ousted staffer says she’s the rightful owner of Effy, Hachi and Oreo.
Agencies
Effy, Hachi and Oreo’s absence has sent tempers soaring. The three certified therapy dogs, which have calmed many nervous flyers at terminal 2 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on weekends, have been reported abducted.
On Monday, their owner registered a complaint with the Bhandup police, alleging that the Golden Retrievers had been stolen by an ousted employee to exact vengeance.
CSMIA signed a contract in July 2017 with Fur Ball Story (FBS), a Gurugram-based startup that conducts pet therapy sessions for individuals and corporates to help them destress, to get three therapy dogs on weekends at terminal 2. Animesh Katiyar, founder of FBS, procured three puppies, Effy, Hachi and Oreo, from Ludhiana and trained them. After they turned a year old, the dogs were deployed at terminal 2.
As per the complaint, an FBS employee, Arushi Dixit—who also held an 18 per cent stake in the company—was given charge of its Mumbai operations in April last year. Both the dogs and Dixit were given accommodation in a Bhandup West flat. Since the landlord refused to rent the property out to a company, the rental agreement was drawn up in Dixit’s name. Even the dogs were registered in her name, as she was the sole employee from FBS in Mumbai and the BMC didn’t allow dogs to be registered in the name of a company.
Katiyar told Mirror that Dixit was appointed the dogs’ handler, but was sacked on the grounds of misconduct and unprofessionalism on November 17, 2018, during a visit to Gurugram. “After her termination, two other employees of the company, Sunny and Munna, were given charge of handling the dogs and staying at the flat in Bhandup.” Dixit, however, continued to be the tenant on record, with the order to stay away from the flat.
Katiyar learned of the dogs’ alleged abduction soon after he landed in Mumbai on January 27 for a meeting with airport officials. “She emailed me to say that owing to some problem with the landlord, she was vacating the flat. Much later, I learned from the building’s security guard that she had arrived with her parents and taken the dogs forcibly. Munna tried to stop them. Dixit and her family even forced him off the train they were escaping in.” Katiyar alleged that Dixit is refusing to disclose the location of the dogs, but the former employee claimed that she was being “mercilessly harassed”.
Dixit also asserted that she was the rightful owner of the dogs. “I have all valid documents to prove this.” She said she would file a counter complaint in Gurugram against Katiyar and his corroborating partner Srishti Sharma.
Katiyar, however, claimed that he, too, has all the paperwork to prove that the dogs belong to his company.
Adnan Khan, who helped Katiyar procure the dogs, and Varun Anand, their trainer in Gurugram, backed this claim. “Katiyar bought the dogs through my contact. As far as I know, the dogs belong to him and he handled the procurement process. Arushi Dixit came into the picture only when she was tasked with the company’s Mumbai operations,” said Khan. Anand said all of the payments for the training were made by FBS.
Ramesh Khade, senior inspector of Bhandup police station, confirmed that a complaint has been filed. “We will decide the further course of action after going through it.”
Effy, Hachi and Oreo were a hit at Mumbai airport’s terminal 2, and were often snapped with celebrities.
On Monday, their owner registered a complaint with the Bhandup police, alleging that the Golden Retrievers had been stolen by an ousted employee to exact vengeance.
CSMIA signed a contract in July 2017 with Fur Ball Story (FBS), a Gurugram-based startup that conducts pet therapy sessions for individuals and corporates to help them destress, to get three therapy dogs on weekends at terminal 2. Animesh Katiyar, founder of FBS, procured three puppies, Effy, Hachi and Oreo, from Ludhiana and trained them. After they turned a year old, the dogs were deployed at terminal 2.
As per the complaint, an FBS employee, Arushi Dixit—who also held an 18 per cent stake in the company—was given charge of its Mumbai operations in April last year. Both the dogs and Dixit were given accommodation in a Bhandup West flat. Since the landlord refused to rent the property out to a company, the rental agreement was drawn up in Dixit’s name. Even the dogs were registered in her name, as she was the sole employee from FBS in Mumbai and the BMC didn’t allow dogs to be registered in the name of a company.
Katiyar told Mirror that Dixit was appointed the dogs’ handler, but was sacked on the grounds of misconduct and unprofessionalism on November 17, 2018, during a visit to Gurugram. “After her termination, two other employees of the company, Sunny and Munna, were given charge of handling the dogs and staying at the flat in Bhandup.” Dixit, however, continued to be the tenant on record, with the order to stay away from the flat.
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Katiyar learned of the dogs’ alleged abduction soon after he landed in Mumbai on January 27 for a meeting with airport officials. “She emailed me to say that owing to some problem with the landlord, she was vacating the flat. Much later, I learned from the building’s security guard that she had arrived with her parents and taken the dogs forcibly. Munna tried to stop them. Dixit and her family even forced him off the train they were escaping in.” Katiyar alleged that Dixit is refusing to disclose the location of the dogs, but the former employee claimed that she was being “mercilessly harassed”.
Dixit also asserted that she was the rightful owner of the dogs. “I have all valid documents to prove this.” She said she would file a counter complaint in Gurugram against Katiyar and his corroborating partner Srishti Sharma.
Katiyar, however, claimed that he, too, has all the paperwork to prove that the dogs belong to his company.
Adnan Khan, who helped Katiyar procure the dogs, and Varun Anand, their trainer in Gurugram, backed this claim. “Katiyar bought the dogs through my contact. As far as I know, the dogs belong to him and he handled the procurement process. Arushi Dixit came into the picture only when she was tasked with the company’s Mumbai operations,” said Khan. Anand said all of the payments for the training were made by FBS.
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Ramesh Khade, senior inspector of Bhandup police station, confirmed that a complaint has been filed. “We will decide the further course of action after going through it.”
Effy, Hachi and Oreo were a hit at Mumbai airport’s terminal 2, and were often snapped with celebrities.
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Animesh Katiyar had got the puppies, Effy, Hachi and Oreo, from Ludhiana.With location and activity tracking, these wearables can make sure your pet is both safe and healthy. (Image: Thinkstock)
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