By Ruchi Pradhan Datta
On 24 March 2025, on her escorted evening walk in Indira Nagar, my leashed Spitz-Collie mix, Millie, was brutally mauled by two unleashed German Shepherds. She was literally torn apart with four gaping wounds, exposed ribs, a punctured lung and injury to the liver. We rushed her to our regular vet, who after administering her the critical first aid and charging us a hefty bill, gave her just 10 to 15 minutes to live.
Distressed and hopeless, a divine intervention happened, when the same evening, another pet lover friend of ours directed us to the Government Multi-Speciality hospital for Canines and Felines at Transport Nagar. A miracle was awaiting her there, in the form of Dr Latesh Joshi and her dedicated team of veterinary professionals, who with their ‘never say die’ attitude started work on her immediately. Millie’s treatment was a roller coaster with some days being more challenging than the others. Even an SOS WhatsApp message at 3 a.m. was promptly responded to – making all the difference between life and death. Hundreds of medicines, injections, and dressings later, on 21 May, the good doctor declared Millie ‘out of danger’. Without accepting anything to compensate her time and effort, the doctor or her assistant Uday would visit home religiously, in the evenings, to administer the injections or change the bandages as Millie was too frail to travel.
In the meantime, Dr Latesh also began treating my elder Indie, Candy, (who was grappling with multiple tumours and age-related organ issues), comforting and giving her respite till the very end. Also, I began referring several of my pet parent friends and each one came away happier than the other – with the attitude, facilities and expenses (or the lack of) incurred, at the hospital.
Rina, a house-help, has an adopted Bhutia. For her, resources are very scarce. So, when the Rs 40 registration slip enabled her dear pet to get the desired anti-tick treatment, she was elated and eternally grateful.
So also, Sonia Sethi, whose elderly pug Bosco received treatment for his age-related ailments at the hands of Dr Latesh. “A vet is the best doctor in the world as they cannot ask the patient about how they are feeling. I feel blessed that Dr Latesh is there in our time of need. I want to thank her for going above and beyond for my bestest companion and I am pawsitively grateful for all that she does”, remarks Sonia.
Sugandh Sharma, an army veteran, and a proud parent to several rescues, swears by this hospital and looks no further, when one of them is unwell.
It seems that Dr Latesh Joshi and her team live by the words of Mahatma Gandhi, who stated, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”, as in this hospital, the animals are treated pretty-well!
Such stories truly piqued my interest in the hospital.
It is a government run, multi-speciality hospital and operates under the Department of Animal Husbandry. It has all the necessities – OPD, OT, a testing lab, X-ray, Ultrasound, ECG facilities, otoscope/auriscope, a pharmacy and what have you – all of which are fully functional. It also has an Emergency wing, a separate feline wing (as cats get stressed in the presence of dogs), a grooming section and an admission ward – however these are not operational due to shortage of staff, which is an absolute pity as the hospital, if fully functional can prove to be a haven for animals in distress.
The hospital caters to up to and sometimes more than 100 cases a day, with 8 to 10 surgeries per day on an average. In addition to beloved pets, whenever I visited, there would umpteen good Samaritans with rescued strays – injured, sick or abused – and they were treated with the same (if not more) urgency and compassion. Also, the costs involved are so minimal (Rs 40 for registration, Rs 50 for a high-quality X-ray and Rs 100 for an ultrasound) that practically speaking, more rescuers take the initiative as otherwise veterinary treatment costs are extremely prohibitive.
The beauty of the hospital is that along-with some of the best hearts in the profession, it is a spacious, spic and span and well-equipped facility. All it needs is more human resources, so that all the Wings can be optimally utilised. Presently, it has 1 senior veterinary officer, 2 veterinary officers,1 pharmacist, 2 vaccinators and 3 livestock helpers. The technicians, helpers and cleaners have been outsourced. All of whom seem stretched to the limits, given the high demand for the excellent treatment provided here. These include complicated surgeries like C-sec, Pyometra, tumour removal, bone pinning and plating, Scapulectomy, FHO, Coxofemoral disarticulation and many more.
Moreover, for animal lovers of Dehradun, it would be the biggest boon, if the hospital begins to operate 24X7, as it is during the night that a pet parent of a sick fur baby, or the rescuer of an injured stray animal feels most helpless.
As said AA Milne, the creator of Winnie the Pooh, “Lots of people talk to animals…Not very many listen though…that’s the problem.” So, here’s hoping that the powers that be listen to the voice of the voiceless and expand an already fantastic facility into Dehradun’s pride by utilising it to the optimum.
(Ruchi Pradhan Datta is a passionate educator with a strong background in journalism. Animal rights, feminism and nationalism are the values that she holds closest to her heart).
