Opening of IDEA Animal Care Centre took place on November 10.

Vice-president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, founder and chairperson of IDEA Public Union Leyla Aliyeva attended the opening ceremony.

Leyla Aliyeva made herself familiarized with a photo stand reflecting various stages of the centre’s construction.

The foundation of IDEA Animal Care Centre was laid in October 2014. The centre has been designed for diagnosing and treatment of homeless animals in the city of Baku and surrounding areas, as well as for provision thereof with short-term shelter. The shelter complex has been constructed with the support of the Europe-Azerbaijan Association, using the practice of other states. Specialists of the Royal Society for Removing Cruelty Against Animals of the Great Britain were involved in the design and construction works. Here, services on vaccination, sterilization of homeless animals and, if necessary, surgeries will be performed. 24 shelters constructed at the centre will allow accommodation of over a thousand animals at a time. An area for walking has also been allocated beside every shelter.

While making herself familiarized with the centre, Leyla Aliyeva viewed the animal diagnostics and treatment complexes. The centre features a mobile emergency medical aid service, along with performing diagnosis and treatment at the centre’s clinic and laboratories. Moreover, a special group will be functioning to bring injured animals or those in need of vaccination to the centre. Those homeless animals that have been treated at the centre will by provided with distinguishing chips. Here will also be created, for the first time in our country, an electronic database of homeless animals. This system will allow tracing of animals and timely vaccination thereof. Animals requiring a long-term treatment will go through a rehabilitation process in special quarantine buildings. The centre’s activity will make it possible to train qualified specialists in veterinary, as well as exchange of experience.

In the spacious conference hall here, professional veterinary training courses will be conducted and extensive public enlightenment events held with a view to propagating merciful attitude toward homeless animals, and protection thereof. In the framework of these events, organization of tours for schoolchildren to the centre, enlightenment thereof and making the centre open to the public, especially for volunteers, are expected. Here will also function a complex with the show of animals ready for possession, and a small animal hotel. The centre’s services are not confined to only homeless animals. The centre may also be applied to for the diagnosis, treatment and short-term staying of owned animals.

Then Leyla Aliyeva made herself familiarized with a state-of-art feed factory. The factory is the first company to prepare dog and cat feed in Azerbaijan. Products of the factory will be made from healthy foodstuff, along with meeting international quality standards.