Moscow pet owners can go online to make appointments for veterinary care at one of the city’s 27 public clinics, according to the Department of Information Technologies.
Online booking has been available at privately run general practices in the Russian capital since 2014. “Waiting times for appointments with general practitioners have fallen to just one day, while 80% of citizens can get same-day appointments, spending an average of just 10 minutes waiting outside the doctor’s office,” the government reported.
The new online public service was developed jointly by Moscow’s Veterinary Committee and the Department of Information Technologies. Pet owners also are able to schedule home visits for the care of cats, dogs and exotic animals.
Pet ownership in Russia stands at 59% of households, according to the Department of Information Technologies, pointing to data from Levada Analytical Center.
“There are more cats than dogs in Russia,” the department reported. “Moreover, 2 percent of Russian households own turtles, cavies and lizards. One percent of Russian households, or about 1.4 million people, own exotic animals such as snakes, crocodiles and predators as pets at home.
“In 2018, hedgehog owners in Russia announced launching of their separate association, as [the] number of hedgehogs had increased several dozen times.”