One of the recent episodes of Shark Tank India season 5 opened with an unusual contest, where pet food was only half the story. What truly set the tone was a clash of philosophies, as one of the brands took a “harsh” stance on the Supreme Court’s decision on stray dogs on national television.
In the second week of the season, the sharks witnessed a face-off between Smylo, a cat-first nutrition startup and Nootie, a dog food brand. Smylo won the toss and pitched first, positioning itself as a science-backed brand focused exclusively on feline health. Nootie followed with a pitch rooted in scale, experience and emotional storytelling. However, the discussion soon moved far beyond revenue charts.
‘Harsh’ ruling from SC
Akshay Mahendru, co-founder of Nootie, used his time on the tank to comment on the Supreme Court’s recent observations on stray dogs. Calling the ruling “harsh”, Mahendru said he preferred the term “community dogs”, arguing that street dogs are part of neighbourhood ecosystems and deserve compassion rather than hostility.
The topic was raised by shark Namita Thapar, who asked Mahendru about the court’s stance, especially since the founders are based in Delhi. Mahendru further shared about his company’s initiative of launching a Rs 10 dog biscuit pack on Swiggy Instamart to enable people to feed community dogs affordably.
Sampling dog biscuits
The pitch took a dramatic turn when one of Nootie’s founders sampled the dog biscuits live on air to demonstrate that the products were made using human-grade ingredients. Despite showcasing strong business numbers, Mahendru became visibly emotional midway through the presentation and struggled to continue.
Anupam Mittal stepped in to reassure him and the entrepreneur later explained that the moment overwhelmed him because he had been trying to get onto Shark Tank India for five seasons.
What Supreme Court said on stray dogs
The episode aired against the backdrop of strong remarks from the Supreme Court earlier this week. The top court warned the Centre and state governments that they could face heavy compensation liabilities for every stray dog bite and related death.
The apex court criticised authorities for failing to implement Animal Birth Control rules. It also said dog feeders could be held liable for attacks, noting that the consequences of dog bites are lifelong.
However, the court later clarified it was not calling for the removal of all street dogs.