chennai an animal welfare board of india supported veterinary hospital has been opened in kanyakumari district of tamil nadu awbi officials said this is the second such initiative in the country after the first one being launched in haryana the hospital is run by an animal welfare organisation jeeva karunya animal welfare charitable trust that has been registered with the boardawbi chairman o p chaudhary said the establishment of veterinary hospitals in rural areas would boost the animal health the board provides financial support to animal welfare organisations and ghoshalas for construction of shelters care and management of stray animals such as cattle dogs cats and other animals the board also supports animal birth control programme for canines to reduce the population of stray dogsa senior official said the board is planning to increase the grants for the animal welfare organisations in the country an announcement in this regard would be made soon he said