Bengaluru’s furry residents severely underserved by government facilities  

Not just medical facilities, there is also lack of government animal shelters in Bengaluru for rescued animals. While private shelters and NGOs have set up a few, most of them are now filled to capacity. 

With the growing human population in Bengaluru, its animal population is also on the rise. For a city which has a variety of animals like cats, dogs, cows, a variety of birds and others, there are only about 20 government veterinary hospitals. There are only two big hospitals which offer at least some kind of specialised services – one is Hebbal Veterinary College and Hospital and the 24/7 facility on Queen’s Road.  

In 2023, the government of Karnataka issued an order shutting down 28 vet hospitals in Bengaluru saying that there was a greater need for veterinary doctors in rural areas where cattle and poultry were found in larger numbers. After this development, pet owners and animal rescuers in Bengaluru are struggling to get affordable treatment for animals. 

“It is the responsibility of the government to provide treatment to pets and cattle. I am currently staying in Wilson Garden. They closed the hospitals in Wilson Garden, Jayanagar and Adugodi which were all near to me. Now if I have to take the animals to hospitals, then I have to spend a lot on transportation itself,” said Arun Prasad, animal activist and pet owner. “They closed the hospitals saying that there are not many pet animals in Bengaluru. Then how are private hospitals having so much business?”

While the smaller government vet facilities offer basic treatment, they are not equipped for vaccination and other medication. Even the bigger ones in Hebbal and Queens Road do not have modern equipment like scanners. This has forced many pet owners to go to private vet hospitals where treatment and tests are expensive. 

“Every test and scan costs thousands in private vet hospitals. Even a normal consultation cannot be obtained for less than ₹500. The situation was not so bad with government hospitals around a decade ago. There needs to be at least one multi-speciality vet hospital in each BBMP zone. If the government does not have funds, then they can be set up under PPP mode,” said Rashmi D’Souza, a former member of Karnataka Animal Welfare Board.  

Apart from medical facilities, pet owners also face the problem of government hospitals not having proper contact details. None of the phone numbers on the website of the Hebbal Veterinary College and Hospital were functional when this reported tried calling them.

Ajay Nagabhushana, Commissioner, Department of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, denied any deficiency in service. He said, “There are 20 veterinary hospitals in Bengaluru city, and there is no deficiency in service. Based on animal population figures, earlier a few were relocated to different rural areas where more animals are there.”