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Referring to animals, a celebrated Victorian writer once said, “They are agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.” Richmond Crawford mirrored the same 19th century sensibility. By the way, who was Richmond Crawford? He was a commissioner in Sindh, and was an animal lover. Now imagine a more than a century-old Karachi with a veterinary hospital made of stone. In case it is hard to believe, visiting the Richmond Crawford Veterinary Hospital (RCVH) on M. A. Jinnah Road (formerly Bunder Road) just a few yards before the famous Radio Pakistan Karachi building will suffice. It is a smallish structure, uncomplicated in character, rich in history.

There are not any detailed accounts available on Mr Crawford. He was, for sure, a commissioner in the province we all love and was not only fond of the people he was obliged to look after (or rule over) but also cared immensely for animals. No, by that time George Orwell had not written Animal Farm, so there is no element of fear.

It was, according to one version, in 1843 that a veterinary hospital was constructed on two acres of land which the commissioner had acquired himself. His followers and citizens named the facility after him. Students of history, and those who know the city of Karachi inside out, say Mr Crawford was an ‘able' man. You have to believe them.

The hospital served for many, many years, albeit like a government-run infirmary. A few years back it was reported that it could be demolished to make way for a sky kissing mall. Thank heavens, it was not to be, and this nice work of stonemasonry is intact. Go there and you are bound to come across goats, cats and dogs etc being treated for different ailments. These days, the doctors say, poor goats are down with pneumonia.

[Source: Karachi Legacies of Empires by Peerzada Salman]

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