Animal Rescue Vehicle Launched to Deliver Timely Veterinary Care
DeskOdishabarta
BERHAMPUR, July 27: In a significant step towards strengthening animal welfare services in Ganjam district, the Gopalpur Notified Area Council (NAC) on Monday launched a dedicated animal rescue vehicle equipped with a hydraulic lift.
The specialized vehicle will facilitate the safe rescue and transportation of injured, sick, and abandoned animals to veterinary hospitals for advanced treatment.
The vehicle was flagged off by Ganjam Collector V. Keerthi Vasan during a programme held at the Rangeilunda Block premises. With this addition, Gopalpur NAC has become the fourth urban local body in the district, after the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC), Khallikote NAC, and Polasara NAC, to have a dedicated animal rescue vehicle.
Although Odisha’s toll-free 1962 Animal Helpline and animal ambulance service are operational across all 314 blocks of the state, the absence of hydraulic lifting equipment had made it difficult to transport seriously injured large animals such as cattle and buffaloes. As a result, many animals could receive only on-site first aid, while access to advanced treatment at veterinary hospitals remained limited.
To address this long-standing gap, several animal welfare organizations, along with District SPCA member Lalatendu Choudhury, had consistently urged the State Government and the district administration to provide dedicated rescue vehicles fitted with hydraulic lifts for the safe handling and transportation of large injured animals.
The newly commissioned vehicle is equipped with a hydraulic lift, essential rescue equipment, and emergency veterinary care facilities. It will be used to safely rescue injured, abandoned, and distressed animals, transport them to veterinary hospitals for treatment, and, after recovery, shift them to gaushalas (cow shelters) whenever necessary.
Describing the initiative as a landmark step for animal welfare in Ganjam, the district administration appealed to the public to report injured or distressed animals through the toll-free 1962 Animal Helpline, enabling rescue teams to respond promptly and provide timely assistance.
Speaking on the occasion, Collector Keerthi Vasan said that, with the inclusion of Gopalpur NAC, dedicated animal rescue vehicles are now available in the Berhampur Municipal Corporation and three NACs of the district. He further announced that the service would soon be extended to the remaining 11 NACs and six municipalities, ensuring prompt rescue operations and access to advanced veterinary care for injured animals across Ganjam.
Among those present at the programme were Berhampur SP Dr. Saravana Vivek M., Berhampur Sub-Collector Avinash Kumar, Chief District Veterinary Officer Dr. Anjan Das, Sub-Divisional Veterinary Officer Dr. Bhawani Shankar Sadangi, Block Veterinary Officer Dr. Kiran Bisoyi, Gopalpur NAC Chairperson Janaki Ram, BeMC Deputy Commissioner Ashirbad Parida, Rangeilunda BDO Biswajit Ray, Gopalpur NAC Executive Officer Manoj Kumar Nahak, District SPCA member Lalatendu Choudhury, and several other senior officials.
