The Municipality of Córdoba began the construction of the Municipal Veterinary Emergency Hospital in the San Vicente neighborhood, in the historic building of the former Guillermo Basombrío Dermatological Dispensary. The project includes the total recovery of 215 m² and a 30 m² reception annex.
The hospital will operate at Corrientes 3,086, sharing the premises with the city’s fourth Spaying and Neutering Center (CDC). It will be free of charge, attend to dogs and cats in life-threatening situations, and will be open 24 hours, every day of the year.
History of the building and architectural design
The property dates back to the late 19th century when it operated as a leprosy hospital across from the San Vicente Cemetery. It later became a dermatological dispensary and turned into a health landmark in the city. It had been vacant and deteriorated since 2019 until its repurposing was decided.
Architects Martín Coll and Pablo Gordillo explained that the project divides the property into two independent wings with a shared reception:
- West wing: emergency service for dogs and cats, with differentiated spaces.
- East wing: Spaying and Neutering Center, with operating rooms and recovery rooms.
In a second phase, an additional 150 m² will be added for hospitalization and administrative areas.
Equipment and services
The municipality has already acquired 70% of the equipment, including X-rays, ultrasound machines, and cages for intensive care. The hospital will handle critical cases such as:
- Hit animals.
- Polytrauma.
- Dog fights.
- Poisonings.
The deputy director of Spaying and Neutering, Gastón Citati, highlighted that it is the first municipal veterinary emergency hospital in the country, with night shifts and hospitalization capacity.
The Spaying and Neutering Center
In parallel, the premises will house Córdoba’s fourth CDC. In 2025, more than 23,000 free sterilizations were performed, and the new center aims to expand coverage in the southeast of the city.
It will operate in two shifts (7 am to 1 pm and 1 pm to 7 pm), with appointments managed via WhatsApp, and will attend to both pets with owners and stray animals.
One health
The president of the BioCórdoba Entity, Fabián Lattanzi, explained that the hospital adheres to the concept of “one health”, integrating human and animal health. The project is executed with municipal labor, and veterinary professionals participated in the redesign of the building.
Councilman Juan Balastegui (UCR) recalled that he promoted the ordinance project two years ago, with the conviction that animal welfare is also public health.
Timeline and enhancement
The first phase of the project will take three and a half months, with an inauguration scheduled for July of this year. Besides its health function, the intervention reincorporates a historic building that had been idle since 2019 into the urban fabric.
The Córdoba Municipal Veterinary Emergency Hospital will be a national milestone: a free service, open 24 hours, attending to animals in life-threatening situations, and complemented by a spaying and neutering center. The project combines heritage recovery, health innovation, and public animal welfare policies.
