Gurugram Covid lockdown: Two treat 60 birds through video call

Two bird lovers have been treating birds at the bird hospital in Sadar Bazar giving them first aid, medicine and looking after them, as the sole doctor who was in

Two bird lovers have been treating birds at the bird hospital in Sadar Bazar giving them first aid, medicine and looking after them, as the sole doctor who was in charge of them is stranded in Uttar Pradesh due to the nationwide lockdown.

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Ever since the lockdown started, Pramod Kumar and Shiv Kumar have treated more than 60 birds at the hospital. Neither of them has left the hospital even for a single day since the lockdown started only to look after the birds. “To be honest I don’t know how to treat the birds very well, but working in the hospital for nine years has given me enough experience to give them first aid. In the last 20 days, my colleague Pramod and I have treated birds who arrived with their throats slit and claws injured. There were two whose feathers were stuck together,” Shiv, who has been working in the bird hospital as a compounder, said.

Besides treating several birds, the duo has also taken care of a peacock who was dropped at the hospital by some people last week. “The peacock arrived in paralysed on one side, so we decided to get in touch with the bird doctor who guided us on what to do. Now the peacock is better and is showing signs of improvement,” Pramod, a member of the housekeeping staff, added.

The treatment for the birds is presided over through video call by the hospital’s bird doctor. Everything is discussed—what should be done to a specific bird and the medicine that is to be provided. Dr Raju Kumar, who looks after the birds in the hospital, said, “I had to leave Gurugram for some work in Bulandshahr before the lockdown started. Now, I am in regular touch with both the workers in the hospital through video calls. I tell them the medicine the birds should be given and they are doing a fine job.”

The duo is not only taking care of the birds that come to the hospital but the stray dogs who have become regular visitors now. “During the lockdown, we would see a couple of dogs roaming about near the hospital so we kept a bowl of water for them. We also feed them biscuits and whatever we have in stock,” Shiv said.

Birds of all kinds, including parrots, crows, pigeons and koels are harboured here. The hospital also has a large number of crows, falcons and eagles under treatment. “Our job is to treat the birds and then let them go. Some people bring in birds and these feathered patients are given medicines and a nutritious diet,” Pramod added.