Bengaluru’s furry residents severely underserved by government facilities  

Dog shelter inside the premises of Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru to take care of stray dogs found inside the premises.
| Photo Credit: Bhagya Prakash K

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.”

From time to time, animal activists and pet parents have also been flagging several issues, including lack of sufficient animal ambulances, shelters and crematoriums and the helpline 1962 being non-functional. However, all of these complaints have remained unaddressed so far. 

Transporting pets a big ordeal

“When I rescue animals, sometimes they will have severed body parts. At those times, how would it be possible for me to take them to a veterinary hospital in an autorickshaw,” asked Arun Prasad, animal activist.  

With pets not being allowed in public transport, and autorickshaws and cabs often not allowing customers with animals, transportation remains a huge issue for pet parents. Private transportation services charge exorbitant prices.

“I checked a website online and it said the charge for around 5 kilometres will be ₹1,000. As that is not economical, I had to find an auto driver, who a friend knew, to take my cat to a hospital,” said Sarika T., a pet parent. 

While there are two government-run animal ambulances with mobile clinic set-ups, they are not enough for a city as large as Bengaluru. Animal rescuers also flagged that these ambulance services are only available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“What if an animal gets a major injury in the night,” asked Mr. Prasad.  

Lack of shelters 

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. 

“We get calls every 15 – 30 minutes from someone who rescues a kitten or a puppy somewhere in the city. We do not know where to direct them to as all the shelters are full, and there is no place for additional animals,” said Suparna Ganguly, co-founder of Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA).