A clean pet is a happy pet, according to budding business owner Masakhane Sotayisi.
Sotayisi, 30, has a career in performing arts as an opera singer, which started with Isango Ensemble, a Cape Town-based theatre company, in 2013.
In February, Sotayisi went from sounds to hounds. He started offering a dog-washing service in his local community in Makhaya, Khayelitsha.
Like many others who have careers in the arts, Sotayisi was not exempted from the unexpected disruptions that came with the Covid-19 pandemic.
In March 2020, South Africa went into lockdown, which saw the closure of borders and businesses, and the banning of large gatherings.
Because performances require an audience, everything came to a halt and he could only work virtually.
The idea of starting a dog-washing business was partly influenced by the fact that he was at home, he told IOL Lifestyle.
However, he and his brother took it seriously when they noticed that their dogs still had ticks after a wash.
In his local community, there are no dog-washing businesses, so he saw a need for one, he said.
If he kept the local dogs clean, then his dogs were less likely to have fleas, he explained.
The pet-washing business offers a wash, moisturiser, flea dip, and vitamins for dogs.
The reception in the community has been positive, he said.
He has been volunteering at an animal welfare centre, in Philippi, to learn more about the maintenance of pets.
Soon, he hopes to make his business mobile, which will allow him to reach more communities.
Since it’s a new business, he said that he is open to any kind of donations in the form of brushes, tubs, or supplements. Contact can be made through his business page: Facebook/Masakhane’s Pet Wash (eDiphini).
Thanks to his singing career, Sotayisi has had the pleasure of travelling to countries such as the United States, China, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, France, Norway, United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand.
“Travelling to Munich and Tokyo has been the highlight of my career,” he said.
The Covid-19 restrictions started while Sotayisi was preparing for a European tour.
Sotayisi said he hopes to perform abroad again and, when that happens, the pet-washing business will be left in the capable hands of his brother.