Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre (New Delhi) (Delhi)

The Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre (SGACC) in Raja Garden, New Delhi, is India's oldest and Asia's largest all-animal shelter. Founded in 1980 from a legacy bequeathed by the late Mrs Ruth Cowell of New South Wales, Australia, to Sanjay Gandhi, the centre operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week across a four-acre, tree-covered campus situated between Shivaji College and the Delhi Home Guards headquarters. If you have a sick, injured, or abandoned animal in Delhi and need help, this is the institution most equipped to respond.

What sets SGACC apart from a standard veterinary clinic is its sheer scope. On any given day, the campus houses more than 3,000 animals, its outpatient department (OPD) treats over 200 animals, and a 24x7 animal ambulance operates at nominal cost across the city. The centre accepts all animals of any species and any number, does not euthanise animals that can recover, and does not purchase meat for its carnivores, instead obtaining meat waste from hotels. For pet owners in West Delhi and across the National Capital Region, it functions as a full-service veterinary and welfare institution rather than just a clinic.

What SGACC Actually Does

SGACC describes itself as a hospital-cum-shelter, and that framing is accurate. The campus contains several distinct functional departments, each with its own administrative head. The In-Patient Department (IPD) houses animals receiving ongoing care, operating through the night. The Out-Patient Department (OPD) handles walk-in cases and treats over 200 animals daily, providing medical, diagnostic, and surgical services. An Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is available for critical cases. There is also an Operation Theatre (OT), which is described as the hub of the centre's ongoing Animal Birth Control programme.

The Laboratory is equipped with an X-ray machine and blood testing facility. The centre also operates an Animal Cemetery, which the website describes as one of Delhi's only dedicated burial grounds for animals. For pet owners, this breadth of on-site infrastructure matters: you are not being referred out for diagnostics or imaging. Everything from a basic OPD consultation to surgical intervention happens within the same campus.

The 24x7 Animal Ambulance is one of the most practically useful services for Delhi pet owners. The centre describes it as operating at nominal cost, meaning charges exist but are kept accessible. If you have a pet that cannot be transported safely to the centre, this ambulance service can reach you. Calls for the ambulance go to the same contact numbers listed for the centre: +91-9560802425 or 8882325407.

The ABC Programme and Street Animal Work

SGACC is a formal part of Delhi's municipal Animal Birth Control programme, working directly with the police to take in and care for animals confiscated in cruelty cases. These include animals seized from situations of overloading and neglectful ownership. The ABC programme at SGACC sterilises and vaccinates street dogs through its Operation Theatre, contributing to the city's managed stray dog population effort.

The centre also organises an adoption stall at a shopping mall three times a week, through which it has placed over 2,000 Indian puppies in loving homes. This is not a passive shelter waiting for walk-in adopters. The adoption programme is active, structured, and has a documented track record. If you are considering adopting an Indian dog in Delhi, SGACC is one of the most established organisations to approach. The website prominently features a call to action: "Do you want to adopt an animal? Call us now."

The centre's stated values are worth understanding before you visit or reach out. SGACC accepts all animals regardless of number or type. It does not set limits based on space constraints. It is a no-kill shelter, meaning it will not euthanise an animal that has any possibility of recovery. It euthanises only when an animal is in extreme pain with no prospect of treatment helping, or when treatment would cause more harm than the condition itself. It does not purchase meat but obtains meat waste from hotels for dogs, cats, and birds of prey.

Species Treated

SGACC's mandate covers all animal species, not just domestic pets. The campus images show goats, dogs of various breeds, cats, and birds. The listing covers the full range of species that the centre has confirmed it works with: dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, squirrels, guinea pigs, peacocks, hens and roosters, iguanas, parrots, tortoises, and snakes. If you have an exotic pet or a non-standard species in need of veterinary attention in Delhi, this centre is one of very few public-access facilities equipped to handle them.

For pet owners travelling with animals or relocating through Delhi, this is a useful institution to have on record. The OPD treats walk-in cases, the ambulance is available around the clock, and the breadth of species handled means you are unlikely to be turned away or referred elsewhere for a first assessment.

Services for Pet Owners: What to Know Before You Visit

The centre offers Treatment at Nominal Cost, which is listed as a named service on the website. This applies to street animal rescues and to cases where owners bring in animals but need financial assistance. The exact fee structure is not published on the website, and we have not independently verified current charges for private pet consultations. If you are bringing your own pet for OPD treatment, call ahead on +91-9560802425 to confirm the current consultation process and any associated costs.

The centre also offers Training and First Aid as a listed service, as well as a Maneka for Children programme. The details of these programmes are not expanded on the website beyond the menu listing, so it is worth calling to understand what is currently running.

SGACC is managed day-to-day by a Hospital Director, with veterinary services supervised by a Medical Director. Each department has a separate administrative head. The Chairperson, Maneka Gandhi, visits regularly and is described as actively involved. The organisational structure means there is clear accountability at each level, which is relevant if you need to follow up on an admitted animal or lodge a complaint.

A Suggestions, Complaints, and Compliments form is available directly on the website, with fields for name, phone, address, and message. This provides a non-phone channel for feedback. The email contact is sgacc1980@gmail.com.

Getting to SGACC

The centre is located in Raja Garden, New Delhi 110027, near Shivaji College and the Delhi Home Guards Head Office in Shivaji Enclave, Tagore Garden Extension. The campus is tree-covered and spread across four acres, so it is not a compact urban clinic. If you are driving from Central Delhi, Raja Garden is accessible via the Ring Road and is approximately 10 to 12 kilometres from Connaught Place depending on your route. The nearest Metro station is Raja Garden on the Green Line (Line 5).

Given that the centre is open 24x7, there is no concern about arriving during office hours for emergencies. For planned OPD visits, arriving in the morning is generally advisable at any high-volume animal facility to reduce waiting time, though this has not been explicitly confirmed by the centre for SGACC specifically.

How to Help

SGACC's website tagline is "Volunteer, Adopt, Donate." The centre accepts donations in set amounts (Rs. 250, Rs. 500, or custom) directly through the website. It actively recruits volunteers for walking dogs, feeding animals, and other shelter support. If you want to contribute to animal welfare in Delhi rather than simply use the veterinary services, SGACC provides multiple structured pathways.

The centre is also part of Delhi's cruelty case intake system, working with police on confiscated animal cases. If you witness animal cruelty in Delhi, SGACC is one of the organisations that can formally receive and care for animals removed from abusive situations. The helpline numbers serve this function as well as routine ambulance and OPD enquiries.

For pet owners, rescuers, and animal welfare volunteers in Delhi, SGACC represents one of the most comprehensively resourced institutions in the city. The combination of 24x7 operations, a functioning ambulance, a full diagnostic laboratory, an operation theatre, an ICU, and an adoption programme operating at the scale of 2,000-plus successful placements is unusual for any single organisation in India. The fact that it has operated continuously since 1980 on a four-acre campus in West Delhi, under consistent welfare principles, makes it a reference point worth knowing regardless of whether you need it today.

Address: Raja Garden, Near Shivaji College and Delhi Home Guards Head Office, Shivaji Enclave, Tagore Garden Extension, New Delhi, Delhi 110027
Phone: +91-9560802425 / 8882325407
Email: sgacc1980@gmail.com
Website: sanjaygandhianimalcarecentre.org
Hours: Open 24x7