Multi-Pronged Approach to Animal Welfare Reform
- The CJ Memorial Trust
- 23 hours ago
- 6 min read
At the CJ Memorial Trust, we are taking a multi-pronged, systemic approach to tackle one of India's most pressing animal welfare challenges: the stray dog population and the critical shortage of veterinarians equipped to humanely manage it. We have therefore wriiten to three different stakeholders , the Principal Secretary AHVS, Vice Chancellor, Veterinary University Karnataka and the Dean of KVAFSU, Blr
Our strategy focuses on reforming veterinary education at its source to build a sustainable pipeline of skilled, compassionate, and legally-aware veterinarians. To this end, we have launched a coordinated campaign, reaching out to three key officials within the Karnataka Animal Husbandry Department and the state's premier veterinary university.
The core of our concern is this: India has an estimated 3.4 crore stray dogs, but our veterinary curriculum has not kept pace with this national need. There is a severe shortage of vets trained in high-volume Animal Birth Control (ABC) surgeries, which is essential for rabies prevention and humane population management.
Our three letters, (also handed over in person to the Commissioner AHVS, Ms Shreeroopa and Member Secrtetary, KAWB, Dr Srinivasan on 28 Oct 2025) attached below, outline a unified call for action:
To the Principal Secretary (State Level): We are advocating for top-down policy directives to mandate crucial reforms within the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University (KVAFSU), framing it as a public health imperative.
To the Vice-Chancellor (University Level): We are proposing specific curriculum modernization, urging KVAFSU to lead the nation by integrating mandatory ABC surgical training and animal welfare law into its core program.
To the Dean (College Level): We are recommending immediate, actionable changes at the college level, including extending small animal clinic hours to serve the community better and provide students with more diverse clinical experience.
Our unified recommendations across all levels are:
Mandatory Surgical Skill: Make a minimum of 50 ABC surgeries a graduation requirement for every veterinary student.
Real-World Experience: Integrate compulsory internships with recognized ABC centers and animal welfare NGOs for high-volume, hands-on training.
Ethical and Legal Foundation: Incorporate a robust module on animal welfare science, ethics, and Indian law into the curriculum.
Enhanced Community Service: Extend college outpatient department (OPD) hours to maximize clinical exposure for students and provide vital, accessible care to the public.
We believe that by building capacity within our educational institutions, we can create a future where every veterinarian is empowered to contribute significantly to animal welfare, public health, and their own professional success. This is not just about sterilizing dogs; it's about building a more compassionate and competent system for generations to come.
We invite you to read the detailed letters to each official below
.
To read, click each attachment:
18 Oct 2025
The Principal Secretary,
Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services,Government of Karnataka,
Vikasa Soudha, Bangalore 560001
Dear Madam,
Subject: Urgent Reforms in Veterinary Education at KVAFSU to Address National Animal Birth Control (ABC) Challenges and Enhance Animal Welfare
The CJ Memorial Trust, an organization dedicated to animal welfare, writes to you today to highlight a critical gap in our veterinary education system and to propose actionable solutions that align with both national public health goals and global trends in veterinary science.
India is facing a monumental challenge with an estimated 3.4 crore (34 million) stray dogs, necessitating an unprecedented scale of Animal Birth Control (ABC) surgeries to manage the population and prevent rabies.
However, the pipeline of veterinarians skilled and experienced in high-volume ABC surgeries is severely inadequate. The current veterinary curriculum, with its traditional focus on livestock, has not kept pace with this urgent national need or the global shift towards companion animal care.
To address this, we submit the following recommendations for your kind directive and support:
Mandatory ABC Surgical Training: We urge the government to advise the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University (KVAFSU) to make a minimum of 50 ABC surgeries a mandatory requirement for every veterinary student before graduation. This will create a ready pool of skilled professionals.
Structured Internships with NGOs: The curriculum should incorporate compulsory internships at recognized ABC centers and animal welfare NGOs. This provides rapid, hands-on experience in a real-world setting.
Integration of Animal Welfare Laws & Ethics: A robust module on Indian animal welfare laws, ethics, and the legal duties of veterinarians and citizens must be integrated into the core curriculum, supplemented by practical internships at shelters.
Building this capacity within our premier state university is not merely an animal welfare issue; it is a public health imperative. It will also make our veterinarians more employable, create entrepreneurial opportunities, and significantly increase their societal impact.
We seek your leadership and necessary directives to KVFU to implement these vital reforms. We are confident that with your support, Karnataka can become a model state in progressive veterinary education and effective rabies and population control.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. We look forward to your positive intervention.
Yours sincerely,
For CJ Memorial Trust
CC: Commissioner AHVS & All concerned
18 Oct 2025
Dr KC Veeranna,
The Honourable Vice-Chancellor,
Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University
Bidar-585226,
Karnataka
Respected Sir,
Subject: Proposal for Curriculum Modernization to Include Mandatory ABC Surgical Training and Animal Welfare Education
The CJ Memorial Trust extends its compliments to you and the esteemed faculty of KVAFSU. We write to you today as ardent well-wishers of the institution, to propose crucial updates to the veterinary curriculum that will align it with contemporary global standards and pressing national needs.
The global veterinary landscape is increasingly emphasizing companion animals, while India specifically faces a crisis with over 3.4 crore stray dogs requiring sterilization. This presents a significant opportunity for KVFU to lead the nation by producing graduates who are not only exceptional in traditional fields but also uniquely equipped to address this challenge.
We humbly propose the following enhancements to the BVSc curriculum:
Mandatory ABC Surgical Competency: Introduce a requirement for every graduating student to have performed a minimum of 50 ABC surgeries. This can be achieved through a combination of university hospital work and structured externships.
Formalized NGO Internships: Make internships at empanelled ABC centers and animal welfare NGOs a mandatory part of the clinical training program. This provides invaluable high-volume, high-efficiency surgical exposure.
Strengthened Animal Welfare Curriculum: Incorporate a comprehensive, practical-oriented course on animal welfare science, ethics, and the pertinent laws (including the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act). Practical exposure through shelter internships should be a core component.
By integrating these elements, KVFU will produce a new generation of veterinarians who are more clinically skilled, legally aware, and highly relevant to the market's demands. This will significantly enhance the employability and entrepreneurial potential of our graduates while creating a profound positive impact on society.
We are confident that under your visionary leadership, KVFU can pioneer this transformative change in veterinary education in India.
Thank you for considering our recommendations.
Yours respectfully,
For CJ Memorial Trust
CC: Dr Umesh Sharma, President, Veterinary Council of India president.vci@dahd.nic.in
CC: Commissioner AHVS & All concerned
18 Oct 2025
Dr NK Shivakumar Gowda,
The Dean,College of Veterinary Sciences,
KVAFSU, Hebbal,
Bangalore
email: deanvch@gmail.com
Respected Sir:
Subject: Recommendations for Enhancing Clinical Exposure through Mandatory ABC Training and Extension of OPD Hours
The CJ Memorial Trust writes to you with great respect for the institution you lead. We wish to bring to your kind attention two specific, actionable areas where the college can significantly augment its clinical training and community service. We do understand the grave issue of staff constraints and budgetary constraints , but we have to show intent and a start needs to be made .
1. Integrating High-Volume ABC Surgical Training:The national shortfall of veterinarians skilled in ABC surgeries is a critical bottleneck in addressing the street animal population crisis. We strongly recommend that the college makes ABC surgery a central pillar of clinical training. Specifically, we propose:
A mandatory requirement of 50 recorded ABC surgeries for every graduating student.
Establishing formal partnerships with ABC NGOs to create a structured internship program, providing students with intensive, hands-on experience.
This will ensure every graduate is confident and competent in this essential procedure, making them instantly valuable to the workforce.
2. Extending the Small Animal OPD/Consultation Hours:We have observed that the current outpatient consultation window for public pets is limited to two hours (10 AM - 12 PM). Given the large number of final-year students, post-graduates, and clinicians available, this duration is a fraction of the capacity that could be served.
We earnestly request you to consider extending these hours to a full day, from 10 AM to 5 PM. While we acknowledge the challenges of staff augmentation, the precedent set by the Cantonment Queens Veterinary Hospital, which successfully transitioned to a 24/7 model, demonstrates that with will and compassion, it is achievable. This expansion is crucial for saving more lives, providing students with diverse clinical cases, and serving the community to its full potential.
These changes would profoundly enhance the clinical prowess of our students and the college's standing as a leader in companion animal medicine.
We thank you for your time and commitment to veterinary excellence and look forward to your positive consideration.
Yours sincerely,
For CJ Memorial Trust
CC: Commissioner AHVS & All concerned
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