Getting up close and personal with animals at a Saigon café

By Quynh Tran   January 6, 2020 | 11:21 pm PT
A pet-themed café in Saigon has alpacas and turtles for animals lovers to play with while sipping coffee.
Visitors to Pet Coffee Garden at 91 A Binh Long Street, Binh Tan District, can snuggles with dogs, cats and other animals of the café and have the option the bring their own pet.

Customers at Pet Coffee Garden, 91A Binh Long Street, Binh Tan District, can pet some exotic animals in addition to dogs and cats, and can also bring their own pets.

Duong Sieu Hoa, its owner, said he used to breed dogs and then opened the coffee shop so that other animal lovers like him could have a place to come and hang out.

Visitors to Pet Coffee Garden at 91 A Binh Long Street, Binh Tan District, can check out two South America alpacas that the owner bought two months ago.

Kids and adults check out two South America alpacas the owner bought two months ago. These two alpacas were imported from the Netherlands for a total price of VND200 million ($8,600). "This animal is gentle and friendly," Hoa said.

The male (gold) and female (white) alpacas are raised in a stable of about 30 meter-square with a sandy ground and are fed with vegetables three times per day.They were a little shy at first, but now they really enjoy interacting with humans.

The male (brown) and female alpacas are about a year old and kept in a 30-square-meter pen. They are fed vegetables three times a day. The owner said that "they were a little shy at first, but now they really enjoy interacting with humans."

Alpaca is very popular among children.This is my first time seeing an alpaca, which I thought would be an agressive specy. But they turn out to be very cute and really enjoy eating.

The alpacas are very popular among children. Dinh Dinh (pictured, the tallest) said: "This is the first time I have seen an alpaca, which I thought would be an aggressive species. But they turn out to be very cute and like eating."

There is also an African spurred tortoise, also called the sulcata tortoise, that roams around freely in the shop.

The shop has an African spurred tortoise, also called the sulcata tortoise, that roams around freely for visitors to pet and admire.

Hoa also owns over 100 South American Iguana dragons, kept in a barn. The beautiful ones are released outside for guests to admire.

Hoa has over 100 South American iguanas he keeps in cages.

A staff is petting a dormouse.

A cafe worker pets a dormouse.

During the weekend, this place becomes an ideal hang out place for pet owners.Thuan and his friend bring their the Malaysian Serama chickens, the smallest breed of chicken in the world. Each adult weighs about three ounces and has the size of a hand.

During weekends the place is a popular hangout for pet owners.

Thuan (left) and his friend bring their Malaysian Serama chickens, the smallest breed in the world, to the café. An adult weighs around three ounces and stands six to 10 inches tall.

Tran Duy Khang, 19, bring his crocodile pet to the shop.I have been raising this baby for nearly a year now after it hatched from egg. The crocodile is not dangerous at the moment since it is small. Oce it gets older and bigger, I will give it to some farms.

Tran Duy Khang, 19, brings his pet crocodile to the shop.

"I have been raising this baby for nearly a year now after it hatched from an egg. The crocodile is not dangerous at the moment since it's small. Once it gets older and bigger, I will give it to some farm."

A private corner decorated with with gravels, plants and wooden seats that customers come and snap photos with pets.

A private corner for customers to take photos with animals.

The café has a total area of about 800-meter-square that included a garden and rooms with air conditioner. On weekends, the shop welcomes about 300 guests and regularly organizes pet-loving group meetings.Taking care of animals is my daily pleasure, so meeting other animal lovers is very interesting. In the near future, I will import some other unique animals to attract more customers, Hoa said.

The 800-square-meter café has a garden and rooms with air conditioners. During weekends it gets 300 customers and regularly organizes meetings among pet lovers.

Hoa said: "Taking care of animals is a pleasure. Meeting other animal lovers is very interesting. Soon I will import some other unique animals."

 
 
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