The Animal Care Organization (TACO), a flagship animal welfare initiative under the Anil Agarwal Foundation, dedicated a corpus of INR 100 crores today towards bolstering animal welfare in Haryana through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government. The MoU was signed in the presence of Shri Nayab Singh, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Haryana. As part of the MoU, TACO will undertake the upgradation of the Government Veterinary Hospital in Gurugram into a 24x7 multi-speciality animal hospital and commence the construction of an animal birth control (ABC) unit, laboratory, pharmacy, training centre and shelter for extremely critical animals in Haryana. The facility is spread over 2 acres in Kadipur, Gurugram.
Speaking on this occasion, Chief Minister Shri Nayab Singh said that he is delighted to witness this significant partnership between The Animal Care Organization and the State Government. The effort to transform the landscape of animal welfare in Haryana, earlier with the Faridabad shelter and now the initiative in Gurugram will vastly improve veterinary care services in our state which the residents of Gurugram as well as nearby cities can make use of. He said that “I look forward to seeing the positive impact this initiative will have on the well-being of animals and the overall health of our communities”. The Chief Minister instructed the concerned officers to upgrade the care services for the animals in cow shelters.
Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Chairperson of Hindustan Zinc Ltd, Non-Executive Director at Vedanta and Anchor, TACO stated, “We are delighted to collaborate with the Government of Haryana yet again to augment animal welfare infrastructure in the state. With an investment of 100 Cr for the upgradation of the Government Veterinary Hospital in Gurugram, the construction of a 24x7 multi-specialty animal hospital and our existing shelter in Faridabad, we are committed towards ensuring availability of state-of-the-art veterinary care in Haryana. I am thankful to the Chief Minister for his continued support as we work towards the vision of One Health.”
The MoU marks a monumental step towards the improvement of animal welfare services in Haryana with the state government inking a 10-year long collaboration with the Anil Agarwal Foundation. As part of the collaboration, TACO will also deploy an ambulance and an advanced mobile health van to provide emergency care services at doorstep.
Notably, TACO's initiatives encompass a holistic approach to ‘One Health’, recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. The organization's shelter in Faridabad, Haryana, is home to 160+ animals, including cows, bulls, and dogs, focusing on rescue, rehabilitation, advanced veterinary care and overall well-being. Since its inception in 2022, it has treated more than 60,000 animals through its health camps, rescued almost 5,000 animals during the Delhi and Haryana floods, and supported over 460 members of farmer community through animal OPD services. Furthermore, TACO's dedication extends to education and training through the TACO Academy, which conducts sessions for veterinarians and paraprofessionals. TACO also supports and strengthens veterinary healthcare services through OPD and ambulance services.