Brenda Michelle describes herself as a pet lover and brand influencer. She currently has 35 pets although she said the number fluctuates based on several factors including age and diseases.
Speaking during an interview on Radio Maisha, Michelle said she keeps cats, dogs and birds.
“I have around seven different breeds of dogs…I really love animals and I discovered this when I was still young.
“I had a rough childhood…I grew up in Ganjoni, Mombasa, and many people were scared of pets, especially black cats. I looked forward to days I would go to church to play with stray cats,” she said.
Since her parents would not allow her to take them home, she had to find a way to make up for this later in life.
Her most expensive pet is a grown Chow Chow which she said is worth Sh850,000.
“I got it from Russia…the cheapest dog I have can fetch around Sh60,000. I have around 18 dogs. The rest are cats.
“I have a cat worth around Sh150,000. It does not eat rats though,” she said.
A Chow Chow is a spitz type of Chinese breed with a big ball of fur around its face. It is said to be one of the most ancient breeds in the world, with some citations claiming it to be over 3,000 years old.
A spot-check online shows Chow Chows can range anywhere between Sh150,000 to Sh270,000 depending on the breeder one chooses.
The price of a Panda Chow for instance can go up to Sh650,000.
Chow Chows can get quite big and to feed them you need to set aside roughly Sh14,000 for their diet.
You will also need a similar amount for their grooming since they are heavy seasonal shedders. Their dense-double coat of fur needs to be well taken care of to keep off fleas and ticks.
Some pet experts say Chow Chows are one of the most expensive breeds to own due to their delicate nature and a lifetime cost would go up to Sh2,000,000.
Michelle has been a pet lover for over 8 years now and says when she met her husband Jacky B she was not into dogs.
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