24 Jan 2022
The Secretary, AHVS
Vikasa Soudha
Bangalore 560001
Dear Madam:
Subject : Critical need for adequate budgetary allocation towards KAWB, SPCA under AHVS support.
Thank you for all that you have done so far for the welfare of animals under the above institutions. KAWB and the 31 District SPCAs are newly reformed by your department in 2019, under AWBI, but many initiatives have been taken by Hon AW Minister and the AHVS Department that make the state and our citizens proud. (The 24/7 Animal helpline and the 24/7 Queens super specialty hospital are some of the visible successes.) As per the provisions/MOA of these organisations, many issues are required to be attended to under KAWB , but being early years, and a lack of budgetary provisions to execute, there has been a gap, even an impasse . You will find many letters and PowerPoints to AHVS and KAWB I had already shared on this over the years. So the timing is right for us to request that these new responsibilities and execution be included, provisioned and moved forward in the upcoming state budget. If not acted on now, the lack of forward looking budget will create an impediment to the AW welfare hard work and focus you have already so kindly initiated.
As Chair of KAWB Executive Committee, you have a critical role in budgets as per KAWB Articles of Association as per Annexure 2, Point 8.11.H ( Approve Annual Budget estimate and to establish sound accounting, costing and financial in keeping with the general directives of the government and any other directives that may be issued from time to time and to review and consider inspection notes, balance-sheet. etc. subject to the provision of these articles )My primary focus is on companion animals as they have never been properly incorporated in budget before. Cattle is a serious and huge topic with existing allocation and resources that I may not be qualified or experienced to comment on. There is a huge dependence on the community of animal welfarists & animal lovers, vets, police and bureaucracy to ensure a robust, well planned and strongly operational system for efficient operations and genuine welfare as per the original mission of the AWBI. In order to do so we have to have specific budgetary provisions made for the following categories:
1. Provision and budgetary support for ABC and ARV at District SPCA levels with citizen partnership. Close coordination with RDPR (Rural Devpt & Panchayat Raj) & local civic bodies so that they can ensure gram panchayat a and districts have adequate fund allocated for the ABC/ARV activity. Else due to ignorance and a largely non-existent SPCA, there have been many horrific cases of culling at various places like Shimoga and Kalburgi that have filled us and the state with shame. Our online petition addressed to KAWB & RDPR crossed 12000 signatures.
2. Sufficient medical care in all districts via both dispensaries, adequate staff, meds as well as basic inpatient facilities
3. Update of all existing AHVS veterinary dispensaries across Karnataka and specifically in Bangalore where they are both underutilized, understaffed and very basic. Basic inpatient facilities makes this unusable and there are hardly any medicines. Many are not staffed or have a vet inspector only. Yet there is no shortage of vets in the state with over 800 in the wings, we hear. A letter to this effect was sent way back in 2018-9.
4. Have adequate provision of medicines and consumables for both the life stock population as well as the pets given the fact that any large City is home to mostly companion animals. As of now it goes via the Zilla Parishad system, and there is only minimal medicines for livestock allocated. Without access to a pharmacy, this effectively paralyses the system of animal treatment. This is a serious and catch 22 situation that must be addressed.
5. Have state of the art mobile medical care truck via mobile ambulances at least two major town. These should be able to do appointments, surgeries and scans. We see a few mobile ambulances deployed across the state , but we need large trucks as an effective mobile clinic .
6. Sufficient budget for training and awareness about laws, cruelty, breeding and pet shops to AHVS staff as well as stakeholders like police, public etc. Breeders & Pet Shops must be regulated as I had petitioned. This takes away pressure from the department on routine interventions.
7. Allocate 1-2 senior level DD or JD to handle the huge admin and coordination at KAWB. Apportion budget, authority & AW leaders to all 31 District SPCAs & insist on regular meeting, reports and updates to Dr Palegar. Member Secretary- KAWB
8. All vet touch points like colleges KCI, Pet Practitioners, government etc MUST train vets to know and follow animal laws and then Lead by Example. My online petition on this says This critical training and intervention must be budgeted .
9. There is need for at least one/two more 24/7 Hospital in Bangalore Further to super specialty hospitals at Queens Road. My online petition on this is enclosed.
10. Coordination with BBMP on both rescue and holding facilities for seized animals from the shops or cruelty cases, as needed. Without this, acting on cruelty becomes academic as there is no space to rescue these abused animals.
Although there are any points, this is a good start point, and we request a meeting when we can discuss and granulate so that the following year will be a high achievement year on animal welfare for the AHVS department & KAWB.
Thanking You,
Yours Sincerely
Priya Chetty-Rajagopal
Managing Trustee