Brief history of the VETERINARY SERVICES in Maldives
It started in January 2019, when a veterinary clinic opened in Villimale’,
an island suburb of the capital Male’, twice a week, 2 hours per day.
The Veterinary Clinic in Villimale' was frequented by cat and bird owners and later extended its operation to government working hours, 5 days a week, 8 hours per day.
Located in a research centre managed by the Ministry of Fisheries, Marine resources and Agriculture (MoFA), the clinic offered vaccines, neutering (13 – 16 USD), microchipping and basic treatments not requiring machines with a consultation fee of (initially) MVR50 (3.26 USD). Back then, Fisheries Minister Zaha Waheed noted that veterinary services were not within the Ministry’s mandate and urged private parties to open clinics. She also stated that the clinic would stop operations when enough private companies or individuals began providing veterinary services.
A private organization called “CareForPaws” ran a TNR program, funded through donations and supported by volunteers, and had managed to neuter and spay 365 (to date) cats from Male’ roads. However, by mid 2021, anaesthesia was no more ordered and supplied to the clinic – hence all surgeries had stopped, till the announcement that effective with January 2022, the Ministry would permanently close the clinic due to “damages to the infrastructure of the building and opening of private veterinary services in Maldives”.
Then, in 2021, "Oases Vet Hospital" with 2-4 foreign vets opened in Male’,
making vet services unaffordable to the larger part of the cat-loving population.
Note that salaries range from lowest average of 315 USD to typically 1244 USD per month, while a decent flat in Maldives rents around 1000 USD!
Neutering packages range from 71 – 143 USD, and spaying ranges from 130 – 195 USD, depending on the after-care needed. Consultation charges starting at 23 USD up to 32 USD make it difficult to treat stray cats. Our NGO is grateful for a 10% discount on vet bills.
Contact: Oases Hulhumale': 7356363
Oases Viber: +960 7256363
In November 2021, our #MaldivesStreetCatFund was initiated
We started collecting donations to provide vet service for injured or severely suffering street cats, and for encouraging people to take street cats into their home care by facilitating deworming and flea treatment. In the meanwhile, we have extended the fund to buying street cat food in bulk for our feeders too.
In February 2024, "Erika Veterinary Clinic" opened in Male'
despite the challenging regulation on "Veterinary Facilities" in Maldives
Also at Erika Clinic, we are enjoying a discounted model for our street cat clients, which we are very grateful for.
Contact: +960 7356010
But: Not everything can be handled by the private vet clinics!
For emergency surgeries, we still had to turn to the former government vet, who was willing to help us out for severe stray cat cases that could not wait for surgery at the hospitals, such as amputations or enucleations.
The Sad Truths:
- There is NO TNR PROGRAMME ongoing in the Maldives, despite us offering the Ministry to bring over volunteer vets against lodging and food.
- Street cats and many of the owned cats are reproducing uncontrollably, because neutering is still not affordable on a large scale!
- "TNR" (Trap-neuter-release) permits are not given by the Ministry, making it impossible to neuter outside of the two licensed vet hospitals!
- Spaying has not always been safe in the Maldives. See below some failed spays (animal passed away shortly after):
What else was going on in Maldives?
Several exotic animals were discovered during a police crackdown on illegal pets in 2014, including a slow loris, a royal python, a Kingsnake, a Mexican red-kneed tarantula, a sugar glider (possum), an owl, and several iguanas.
In early 2022, birds that were not on the list of birds allowed to be imported, were attempted to be brought to the Maldives. Instead of being transported back to the country of origin – an opportunity that was available – all 120 of them were euthanized. The Auditor General’s office revealed that the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture had not followed the humane recommendation of sending them back or rehabilitating them in Maldives. Read more here and here.
Cat culling in Maldives
Late February 2023, judging many social media reports, the capital Male' started culling its community cats by first poisoning them, then bagging them up and killing them. It was done in secrecy, but cat feeders who know "their colonies" noticed the rapid decline in street cats without dead bodies present, and eye witnesses have reported watching the cruelty and fearing for their own safety if they had taken out their phones to video. Some people report that this is not the first time cats have been culled in the Maldives; especially before diplomatic visits to the country, it has allegedly been performed earlier as well. We are still shocked about the few cats that remained on Male' streets, but are still determined to reduce the community cat population in a more humane manner elsewhere and eventually also in Male'. Update from 2025: the culling continues, with the last being before the Maldivian Independence Day, as well as State visits of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
