Assam Pet Owners Advocate for 24/7 Accessible Care with New Hospital Openings

The Assam government has announced plans to establish three dedicated pet care hospitals by the end of the year in Birubari (Guwahati), Khanikar (Dibrugarh), and Bokakhat, to address the growing need for quality healthcare for pets in the state. Each hospital will be equipped with four specialist doctors focused on surgery, medicine, pathology, and gynaecology, ensuring that pets receive specialized care, unlike traditional veterinary hospitals where one doctor serves all animal types. These hospitals will also have modern diagnostic tools such as sonography machines, blood analysers, and X-ray systems tailored for pets.

Alongside these pet care hospitals, five new veterinary hospitals will be built in Kamrup, Lakhimpur, Golaghat, Tinsukia, and Sivasagar districts. These facilities aim to improve medical attention for both pets and livestock. However, while the initiative has been welcomed by many, some pet owners and animal welfare advocates feel that it has been long overdue, citing the lack of proper infrastructure and quality care in the state. They believe that these new facilities will help address the gaps in pet healthcare that have long affected pet owners in Assam.

For years, Assam lacked round-the-clock veterinary services equipped with modern equipment, medicines, and enough medical staff. Pet owners like Dixita Mahanta from Guwahati have pointed out that the availability of medicines and the services at Khanapara’s veterinary hospital, though good, are insufficient for the city’s needs. There is a strong call for more 24-hour veterinary pharmacies across the city, and the affordability of services is also a significant concern. Mahanta emphasizes that access to pet care should not be based solely on profit, as it could be a matter of life and death for the animals.

Other pet owners, like Shruti Hazarika, have experienced difficulties due to shortages in medical equipment and staff. Hazarika recounts her experience of waiting five hours to get an ultrasound for her pet, highlighting the reliance on a single machine for basic diagnostic procedures. These delays and limited access to care underscore the urgency for expanded facilities and resources to meet the needs of Assam’s growing pet population.

While pet owners and activists appreciate the government's plan to expand veterinary infrastructure, they also emphasize the need for adequate staffing, affordability, and equipping these facilities with modern technologies to ensure high-quality services. Activists like Abhay Bora, based in Guwahati, call for a collaboration between government, NGOs, and public-private partnerships to improve animal welfare. He stresses that stronger animal protection laws, government grants for welfare work, and better integration of animal welfare into public health and education systems are essential to make a real difference in the sector.

Dr. Bhaben Baishya, a retired professor from the Veterinary College in Khanapara, also highlighted the need for better diagnostic infrastructure, particularly imaging technologies such as CT scans and MRIs, and blood transfusion services, which are currently unavailable in Assam. The new pet care hospitals will help fill these gaps in both pet healthcare and overall animal welfare in the state.

Dr. Deka, Assistant Director of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, pointed out that the establishment of dedicated pet care hospitals is in response to the changing societal needs, particularly with the increasing urbanization, shrinking farmland, and growing pet ownership in Assam. The project aims to meet the increasing demand for specialized pet healthcare, not just in Guwahati, but in peripheral areas as well.

These developments mark a crucial step forward in improving animal healthcare infrastructure in Assam, but the success of these initiatives will depend on their execution, including the proper staffing, equipping, and accessibility of services to both urban and rural communities.