Advanced pet diagnostics in Bengal – GetBengal story
The West Bengal Livestock Development Corporation (WBLDC), a state government undertaking, has introduced a diagnostic service for pets to enhance pet healthcare in Kolkata and its surrounding areas. This initiative, operated through the Centre for Laboratory Animal Research and Training (CLART) at Kalyani, aims to provide comprehensive testing facilities for diagnosis and treatment of pet ailments.
Pet parents can now easily book diagnostic tests online via the official website of the government laboratory. This initiative, operated through the Centre for Laboratory Animal Research and Training (CLART) at Kalyani, aims to provide comprehensive testing facilities for diagnosis and treatment of pet ailments. The reports will be sent via SMS or email.
According to WBLDC’s Managing Director, Utpal Kumar Karmakar, static sample collection points have been established at state animal health centres (SAHC) in Salt Lake and Barasat. The WBLDC has partnered with a private pet care company, Onpets, which provides logistical support for the new service. As per the outlined procedure, Onpets’ trained phlebotomists collect samples from pet owners’ homes on booking. These samples are then transported to the static collection centres before being dispatched to the CLART facility at Kalyani for testing.
"In rural areas, people can easily access the nearby diagnostic labs, but there was a need to start a pet diagnostic facility for those living in Kolkata and its adjacent suburbs.” Karmakar said. He also added, “For home collection of samples, we are charging fees. But if pets are brought to the static collection points, the service will be free."
Spanning 30,000 sq. ft., the laboratory at Kalyani is equipped with advanced veterinary diagnostic tools. The facility is also a hub for animal and livestock research. The lab’s research activities involve rearing animals such as rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, and zebrafish, which are also supplied to laboratories nationwide for testing purposes.
Last year, CLART generated Rs 7 lakh in revenue from animal sales, and the WBLDC is targeting Rs 17 lakh this year.
The implementation of this service marks a significant step in improving healthcare infrastructure for pets in urban and suburban areas of West Bengal. This initiative proves beneficial to countless pet owners while raising the standards of veterinary care in the region.
