An Animal Helpline with ambulance services would be introduced for the first time in three urban areas of Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur of the State, to be functional by October this year.
The ambulance would have necessary medical equipments for treating animals suffering from diseases or injured due to accidents. The equipments include an animal lifting and standing support, surgical instruments, steriliser and other facilities.
A vehicle with power steering would be modified for the unit, making it possible for services in remote areas with narrow approach roads as well.
With the facilities available in the mobile unit, disease conditions can be diagnosed on the spot and appropriate treatment would be provided to the suffering animals. In order to attend emergency cases, particularly accidents during odd hours, the unit would be useful. Some animals would be brought to veterinary hospital for follow-up treatment, according to Animal Resources Development Department Secretary Bishnupada Sethi.
Provision would be made in the ambulance for carrying an animal lifting device for lifting heavy animals like cow or buffalo from the lying position and for placing it on the supporting device to stand on its legs. The animals which cannot stand on their own, would be lifted with the animal lifting device and treatment can be given.
The ambulance unit would function in two shifts of 6 hours each from 8 am to 2 pm and 2 pm to 8 pm. Provision of free first aid treatment with lifesaving drugs on the spot would be made for stray and abandoned animals.
Mobility would be provided to the sick animals like pet dogs and small ruminants for their lifting and transportation to the nearest headquarters hospital only on a phone call to the Helpline number. However, user fees would be charged as per the prevailing rate in such cases.
In most of the accidental cases, it becomes very difficult to identify the cattle owners, for which the injured and distressed livestock remain unattended and uncared for a long period followed by unnatural death. The ambulance would address the issue by providing emergency veterinary assistance required for stray animals like dogs, cows, bulls, etc. On receipt of the helpline call, the ambulance would rush to the place of incident with team of veterinary doctor and compounder to treat the animal right on the spot.