Uttar Pradesh government to launch cow ambulance service, minister says it will be for all animals
The cow ambulance service will be linked to a centralised call centre based in Lucknow. CM Yogi Adityanath will inaugurate the service in December, says state’s dairy development, animal husbandry and fisheries minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary
The Uttar Pradesh government is all set to launch an emergency cow ambulance service on the pattern of the 108 emergency ambulance service for humans, said Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary, the state’s dairy development, animal husbandry and fisheries minister, on Monday.
“These ambulances will be bigger than the 108 ambulances and will be linked to a centralised call centre based in Lucknow. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath will inaugurate the cow ambulance service sometime in December,” he said.
The minister also said 515 ambulances are ready for the novel scheme of the Uttar Pradesh government, perhaps the first in the country.
“Each ambulance will have a veterinary doctor, a veterinary paramedic, and a driver. The target response time of the cow ambulance service will be 15 to 20 minutes,” he said speaking over the phone from Mathura. Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary is an MLA from Chhata assembly constituency in Mathura district of western Uttar Pradesh.
“Just like the 108 emergency service number, the new service would pave the way for the speedy treatment of seriously ill cows or those who meet with an accident on the roads. The name and the emergency helpline number have not been decided yet,” the minister said.
He, however, clarified though it will be known as the cow ambulance service, essentially it is meant for all animals — cows, buffaloes, horses, or goats. “They will be available to anyone who calls and for any animal. But generally, we assume, it will be of utility more to the cows as it is the cows that people generally abandon and they are the ones who meet with accidents more on the roads. People don’t abandon goats, buffaloes, or horses”, he said.
Chaudhary said that the ambulance will pick up seriously ill or injured animals and take them to the nearest veterinary hospital for treatment.
The minister also said the state government has already taken several steps for cow protection and conservation, including the checking of cow smuggling and illegal slaughterhouses and the government was also running a cow adoption scheme in the state.
