Veterinary Services

More Information About IPAN Animal Refuge Veterinary Services Education Animal Conditions Project Reports "Loki" the Indian Elephant and related issues How you can help

IPAN provides veterinary services to over a dozen villages and remote tribal settlements with IPAN's 24-hour mobile veterinary clinic/ambulance, fully operational hospital, and permanent animal refuge.

IPAN also prevents much human sickness by controlling the spread of zoonotic diseases, by vaccinating dogs against rabies and treating them for mange and internal parasites. These and other diseases that also afflict peoples' cattle, sheep, and goats, causing great animal suffering, are treated by IPAN's experienced and dedicated staff. This helps villagers and tribal communities whose livelihoods depend significantly upon the health and welfare of their herds and flocks.

Snapps, before treatment. As a pup, Snapps was severely afflicted with mange, worms and chronic malnutrition. Six weeks of care at the Sanctuary made a dramatic difference. Snapps, one of India's fortunate pups.

IPAN staff can be found at any time of day or night in the jungle or in some village helping deliver a calf, performing a Caesarian operation on a cow by flashlight and firelight, or giving emergency treatment to a pony or buffalo that had been hit by a truck or attacked by a tiger, panther, or pack of dholes or wild dogs. IPAN's veterinary emergency service on many days is like a war-zone triage unit where staff experience battle fatigue from treating so many animals.

Follow IPAN's jeep on a routine animal treatment call, or post-treatment check-up, and see adults and children lining up with other animals -- emaciated calves, sick puppies, sheep and goats with maggot-infested bite wounds -- all needing treatments. Every treatment in the public eye is a lesson in humane education, promoting respect and concern for animals and giving hope to their owners and relief to the creatures themselves. Many animals that IPAN has successfully treated greet staff in the villages while adults and children stand and watch in quiet amazement and evident gratitude.