Negligent Animal Mobile Medical Ambulance irks residents in need

VELLORE: Residents of Kumara Street in Kangeyanallur in Katpadi were incensed at the negligent work of the staff of the Animal Mobile Medical Ambulance (AMMA) operated by the Animal Husbandry (AH) Department. The staff responded after more than 24 hours to an SOS to treat a stricken stray dog and also refused to take it to the hospital. They just departed after giving it an injection and some tablets on Thursday.

The dog was sleeping under a car two days ago when the owner who got into the vehicle, instead of starting it (which would have alerted the dog) just released the parking brake resulting in the vehicle rolling suddenly over the animal.

“This resulted in the dog getting paralyzed and it was howling continuously in pain,” said a resident Suresh. Finally, after consulting many persons, residents were able to get the emergency medical number (1962) of the AMMA ambulance and reported the matter. “The staff said they were in Pernambut on Wednesday and that they could only come there the next day,” said a resident refusing to be identified.

Meanwhile, the affected stray continued to howl piteously. Finally, the vehicle arrived at the spot on Thursday evening and the staff after giving it an injection and some tablets advised locals to take it to the vet hospital at Makkan.

“When we demanded what the ambulance was for, they said they lacked medicines,” said Suresh. While the animal was quiet on Thursday, it started howling again due to pain on Friday and refused food said Suresh. “Locals do not know what to do in such a situation,” he added.

Meanwhile, local residents on seeing the vehicle came to it and sought advice on various sicknesses suffered by their pets “under the mistaken impression that the ambulance was covering each street in the locality,” a resident added. Here too the staff said they could only give prescriptions for their pets, as they had no stock of medicines and left.

“Then too their old ambulance broke down and we had to help push and start it,” said another resident.

When contacted AH Department sources said, “the scheme was started by former CM Jayalalithaa (hence the acronym AMMA) and though Vellore was trifurcated there is only one ambulance for the three districts.”

Stating that the department had received many complaints about the ambulance’s services, the source said, “whenever a call is received for help the response is always couched in such a way to avoid visiting the affected animal.”