Rs 20 lakh ambulance for city animals

Stray dogs, household pets, birds, even errant monkeys in Mumbai have reason to rejoice.

Stray dogs, household pets, birds, even errant monkeys in Mumbai have reason to rejoice. Animals Matter To Me (AMTM), a group of like-minded people, will soon launch an ambulance service to help in the treatment of animals in the city.

The ambulance van and its state-of-the-art equipments, costing around Rs 20 lakh, will be on the streets by the end of June. However, the organisation already gets an average of 100 to 150 calls a day for rescues, adoptions and vaccination.

“We always wanted an ambulance where all possible treatment can be provided on-board instead of having to carry every animal to a shelter. Also, this vehicle will be equipped with state-of-the-art sterilisation equipment, besides X-ray scanners and other facilities, so you don’t have to visit a vet every time. Even surgeries can be done in the van,” says Ganesh Nayak of AMTM.

The ambulance will offer its services at a minimal cost, which is necessary to sustain the cost of on-board treatment. Nayak also says that Tata Motors donated the vehicle while Omung Kumar Bhandula from Blue Lotus Productions, a design studio, conceptualised its unique design.

Here’s how the service will operate:
Upon receiving a distress call, the information will be scanned by the organisation and sent to a volunteer, vet or an ambulance depending on the caller’s need. Nayak says, “We will have a dedicated doctor on board along with students from veterinary colleges to assist.”

Apart from the ambulance service, AMTM also provides a door-to-door veterinary service and an animal grooming service at minimal costs. A pick-up and drop facility for animals that need to visit a vet is also provided.

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For more details, log on to www.facebook.com/amtmmumbai or visit www.amtmmumbai.org.
Call 98193 80310 or 97690 23128.