Bolivian city opens country's first municipal veterinary clinic
by Mar Puig · UPIJune 22 (UPI) -- The Bolivian city of Cochabamba has opened the country's first municipal veterinary clinic and launched the Universal Pet Service, an initiative aimed at expanding access to medical care for dogs and cats, particularly among low-income families.
The clinic, registered with the National Service for Agricultural Health and Food Safety, offers more than 67 veterinary services at subsidized rates, including consultations, surgeries, vaccinations, sterilizations and hospitalization.
According to the Autonomous Municipal Government of Cochabamba, the city administration will continue covering infrastructure, equipment and specialized staff costs to keep fees affordable.
Treatments will cost between $1 and $40, depending on the complexity of each case.
"This project was conceived primarily to benefit the most vulnerable sectors, allowing low-income families to access quality veterinary care for their pets at subsidized costs," the municipality said, according to reports by La Razón Bolivia.
During Thursday's inauguration, Mayor Manfred Reyes Villa announced that the municipality plans to add an animal ambulance and a municipal crematorium as part a service expansion.
To access the services, pet owners will be required to register their animals in SUMA, a system that will maintain digital patient records, schedule treatments and process payments through QR codes, the Bolivian Information Agency reported.
Cochabamba's head of Zoonosis, Jorge Prudencio, said the clinic is intended primarily to benefit low-income families and emphasized that the project will also have a public health impact.
According to Prudencio, the city has an estimated population of 350,000 dogs and cats, about 80% of which have owners, although many spend part of their time on the streets, Infobae reported.
Prudencio added that sterilization campaigns will be one of the program's priorities and highlighted progress in controlling zoonotic diseases.
As an example, he said Cochabamba has gone more than eight months without recording a case of rabies, a disease that had been reported at a rate of about one case per week in recent years.
Authorities said revenue generated by the clinic will be reinvested in animal welfare programs, equipment and infrastructure to strengthen public veterinary care in the city.
As part of animal protection efforts in the city, municipal authorities reported Monday that they rescued 30 puppies that were allegedly going to be sold illegally at the intersection of Barrientos and Pulacayo avenues, an area where the sale of domestic animals is prohibited.
Municipal Superintendent Enrique Navia said the animals were found in poor condition during an operation carried out jointly with the Zoonosis Directorate.
Of the 30 rescued puppies, 10 were purebred and 20 were mixed-breed, Univalle Televisión reported. All were transferred to receive veterinary care.
"We will continue carrying out these operations," Navia said.