Quack vets thrive during Eid season

With Eid-ul-Adha just around the corner, a large influx of sacrificial animals is arriving in markets across the port city — yet no arrangements have been made to examine their health, leaving ample room for quacks posing as vets to mishandle their ailments.

Every year, quack veterinary clinics are set up across different areas of the city for treating sick sacrificial animals. With no system for diagnosing animal diseases, sick animals are treated on the basis of their symptoms and are administered unnecessary antibiotic injections without proper testing which not only puts their own life at risk but also imperils the health of the people consuming their meat. Furthermore, Karachi is simultaneously facing a shortage of veterinary doctors ahead of the religious festival.

According to Director Veterinary Livestock Dr Hizbullah Bhutto, every year on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha, illegal quack clinics with no certified veterinarians start treating sacrificial animals. "Due to the large-scale movement of animals from one province to another, the possibility of an outbreak is obvious. Only 990 veterinary doctors are available across the province while so far 1.5 to 1.7 million sacrificial animals have been brought to Karachi alone," revealed Dr Bhutto.

Veterinary expert, Dr Irshad Abbasi confirmed the operation of quack vet clinics across Sindh before Eid- ul-Adha. "The common man is unaware that these clinics do not have a certified veterinary doctor. It has been observed that the same type of cheap antibiotic is administered to all animals, which can be lethal. In the current season, diseases including foot and mouth disease are common among animals," explained Dr Abbasi.

Reportedly, this year, quack clinics are charging a fee of Rs1,000 for checking an animal. However, no institution, including the Livestock Department, has been able to verify these clinics. Moreover, there is no mechanism for registering and identifying animals brought into livestock markets, which are neither vaccinated nor given healthy feed.

"Animals brought on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha are not vaccinated since they are only present temporarily. Taking action against quacks is the responsibility of the district administration while the registration of animals brought into Karachi is the responsibility of the municipal administration, which collects a tax of Rs600. The Livestock Department is tasked with checking sick animals upon receiving information," confirmed Dr Bhutto, who further added that 10 camps had been set up at the border of Punjab and Balochistan for animal check-ups.

On the other hand, Dr Abbasi felt that buyers too should play a proactive role in assessing the health of the animal they intended to purchase. "The purchase of sacrificial animals should be done in daylight so that the hooves and mouth of the animal can be checked. Furthermore, the animal should also be examined for signs of lethargy and swelling. Moreover, people visiting the cattle market should wear light-coloured, full-sleeved clothes to protect against insects attached to the animal's body," advised Dr Abbasi.

Speaking of the role of citizens, on the occasion of Eid-Ul-Adha it is often seen that people slaughtering animals on the streets fail to clean the place afterwards due to which various bacteria grow rapidly in the blood left clotting on the ground. Later on, the stench emanating from the animal carcasses further contaminates Karachi's already polluted air.

Spokesperson to the Commissioner of Karachi, Ghulam Muhammad Khan claimed that strict action will be taken against quack clinics set up for checking sacrificial animals. "The public should report these quack clinics by contacting the Commissioner's Office."