Corp to set up multi-speciality veterinary hospital soon
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: To make the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme more effective in the state capital, the city corporation is gearing up to set up a first-of its-kind exclusive ABC Centre- cum-multi-speciality veterinary hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. The plan is to set up the facility on the lines of the multi-speciality hospital at Kozhikode. The hospital would act as a one-stop care centre for all pet-related emergencies and offer medical care for rescued animals.
The facility would be coming up at Thiruvallam.
Currently, around 400 sterilisations are happening in the capital every month as part of the ABC programme. But due to the lack of a dedicated facility, the corporation is unable to increase the count which is the only way to keep in check the multiplying dog population. As per the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), around 17,400 dog bite cases (both pets/strays) were reported in the district during 2020.
With the veterinary hospital at Pettah lying defunct, the sterilisation drive had slowed down in the capital. According to officials, compared to Kozhikode Corporation, Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is spending more money on sterilisation. “The new facility will have well-defined machinery, the corporation’s own team, and infrastructure. In Kozhikode, around twenty dogs are getting sterilised everyday. A dedicated team is necessary to make the drive more effective. We will be hiring four veterinary doctors to set up seven to eight canal cages, three vehicles and teams for dog catching,” said the official.
Another challenge is that there is no data on the stray dog population in the state capital. “Currently, the civic body has no dedicated team for carrying out sterilisation drives and, unfortunately, there is no data on the stray dog population in the city. We will be able to curb an exponential increase in the stray dog population only after sterilising at least 80 per cent of the strays.
Once the facility comes up, the issue would be resolved,” said the official. The new facility is expected to cost around Rs 1.5 - Rs 2 crore. “We are planning to kick off the project by the end of this year. We will start preparing the project report of the proposal once we get the in-principle approval from the council,” the official added. The authorities are also planning to set up a pet licensing facility at the centre. “Currently, we are unable to give proper care for the stray animals that are sick or injured. The new facility would be able to help,” the official said.