How Dr. Hakam Singh Bhullar Founded Atlas Animal Hospital
Dr. Hakam Singh Bhullar was born in Saron, a village in Punjab, India’s Sangrur district, and graduated from Punjab Agricultural University in 1986 with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. He worked as a Veterinary Officer in the Punjab government before immigrating to Canada in 1991. In 1993, he completed a clinical internship at Iowa State University and, by 1995, became a fully licensed veterinarian in British Columbia. That same year, on November 20, 1995, he opened Atlas Animal Hospital on Fraser Street in Vancouver, becoming the first Indo-Canadian veterinarian to establish a low-cost animal clinic in the city. From the start, Atlas was built around accessibility: affordable fees, longer hours, and a welcoming environment for pet owners of every background. Dr. Bhullar also opened the doors of Atlas to newly arrived Indo-Canadian veterinarians, mentoring them and helping them build careers in a profession that was not always welcoming to new Canadians.
The 2004 English Proficiency Test and the Fight Against Systemic Discrimination
In May 2004, the British Columbia Veterinary Medical Association (BCVMA) introduced a mandatory English proficiency examination for veterinarians seeking licensure. The test set a language standard significantly higher than comparable professional bodies in BC, and the Human Rights Tribunal later determined that the score required was, in the words of the ruling, largely unattainable by the target group. The policy placed Indo-Canadian veterinarians at a direct disadvantage, despite the fact that veterinary training in India is conducted in English. In June 2004, Dr. Bhullar led a public demonstration against the policy, and he and 12 other Indo-Canadian veterinarians formally filed a complaint under the BC Human Rights Code, alleging that the BCVMA had engaged in systemic discrimination based on race, colour, ancestry, and place of origin. It was the beginning of what would become the longest human rights trial in Canadian history.
“You need patience but at the end of the day this is the best country in the world. You can get justice.” — Dr. Hakam Singh Bhullar
A Landmark Human Rights Ruling and a Formal Apology
The Human Rights case ran from 2004 through to October 2015, when the BC Human Rights Tribunal issued its ruling. The Tribunal found that the BCVMA had engaged in systemic discrimination against Dr. Bhullar and the 12 other complainants. The decision documented a pattern of race-based adverse treatment, including discriminatory licensing barriers, targeted inspections, and disciplinary actions that the Tribunal found were inconsistent with how non-Indo-Canadian veterinarians were treated. In the course of the case, Dr. Bhullar also had his licence revoked in December 2009, which he described as one of the most difficult periods of his life. The BC Supreme Court later overturned the revocation on procedural grounds, and he continued practicing. Following the 2015 ruling, the College of Veterinarians of BC issued a formal apology to Dr. Bhullar and all 12 complainants for the loss of dignity, pain and suffering caused by its conduct. In 2017, the College withdrew its request for judicial review of the Tribunal’s decision, bringing the 13-year case to a close. It stands as a landmark chapter in the history of human rights in Canada.
The Underdog: A Veterinarian’s Fight Against Racism and Injustice
Dr. Bhullar has documented his full story in his memoir, The Underdog: A Veterinarian’s Fight Against Racism and Injustice. Published by Bhullar Publications Ltd., the book debuted as an Amazon bestseller in Canada in Medical Law and Legislation and ranked among the top sellers in multiple categories across Canada and the United States. Part memoir and part legal account, the book follows Dr. Bhullar’s journey from a village in Punjab to the frontlines of the longest human rights trial in Canadian history. It details the coordinated campaign he faced from the BCVMA, including surveillance footage that captured a senior BCVMA official making a statement that was later cited in the proceedings, as well as the community that stood beside him throughout. The Underdog is available on Amazon and through Dr. Bhullar’s website at drbhullarvet.com.
Atlas Animal Hospital Today: 30 Years of Accessible Veterinary Care in Vancouver
Today, Atlas Animal Hospital continues to operate 24 hours a day at 5696 Fraser Street, serving pet owners from Fraser, Knight, Victoria-Fraserview, South Vancouver, Burnaby, and communities across the Lower Mainland. Dr. Bhullar’s founding commitment to affordable, accessible care remains the foundation of everything the hospital does. Our flat $45 examination fee applies at all hours with no after-hours surcharge, walk-ins are welcome at any time, and our team provides care in multiple languages. The values that drove Dr. Bhullar to open this clinic in 1995, and to fight for 13 years to keep it, are the same values that bring our team to work every day.
