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| Wednesday, 21 April 2004 |
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As a first step towards the implementation of the five-year action plan on the eradication of rabies from Sri Lanka using only humane methods, several local and foreign non-governmental and key government institutions have come together to conduct a series of programmes from 22 April to 30 April 2004. These events, which are to be continued, would pave the way for the gradual implementation of the multi-pronged approach recommended in the action plan, states a KACPAW press release. Over the past and even at present, stray dogs in Sri Lanka have been and are being killed by extremely painful cyanide and strychnine poisoning. Dogs are also gassed and sometimes killed using kerosene fumes. Over 100,000 dogs are killed annually and up to now killing has been the only way of curbing stray dog populations in order to arrest rabies being transmitted to humans from stray dogs; stray dogs are the commonest source from which fatal rabies is transmitted to man. Despite the killing of stray dogs, human beings fall victim to rabies, a highly preventable disease, and the government continues to spend more than 180 million rupees annually to provide the anti-rabies vaccine to people who have been exposed to suspect dogs. Although there is a drop in the human rabies death rate, it is an unacceptable fact that scores of people continue to die from rabies despite the massive expenditure on providing the post-exposure vaccines to humans. Owing to a lot of work done by animal welfarists and many animal welfare organisations in Sri Lanka, and owing to a growing public outcry over the inhumane methods used in controlling stray dogs, both locally and internationally, today there is consensus in Sri Lanka amongst all parties concerned that stray dog populations should be controlled humanely via birth control measurers. The health authorities should be congratulated on their compassionate and progressive attitude towards the problem of stray dog control and for taking an active role in bringing about a humane solution to it. Following several workshops on early -age neutering conducted by WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals, UK) at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science of the University of Peradeniya over the past two years, Dr. P. A. L. Harischandra, Director Public Health Veterinary Services, suggested that 10 government veterinary surgeons per month be trained in the early-age neutering technique; it is hoped to ask the trained veterinary surgeons to conduct every month at least one or two or ideally four free sterilisation/vaccination clinics in their AGA Division, for which funds have to be found/allocated. The first 30 government veterinary surgeons from the Western, North-western and Central Province will be trained at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at a three-day workshop conducted by WSPA's Consultant Veterinary Surgeon Dr. Lloyd Tait and Dr. Niranjala de Silva of the Faculty on April 28, 29 and 30. The training programmes are funded by the World Health Organisation through the National Rabies Control Project of the Ministry of Healthcare, Nutrition and Uva Wellassa Development, KACPAW (Kandy Association for Community Protection through Animal Welfare) will endeavour to raise funds to provide essential logistics to implement the free sterilisation camps at the offices of the trained veterinary surgeons. On April 26, a model programme on sterilisation of community dogs will be conducted by Blue Paw, an animal welfare organisation in Colombo, with support from Dr. P. A. L. Harishchandra. Dr. Harischandra's team will collect around 30 dogs that live on the premises of United Motors Service Station, Orugodawatta, and bring them over to Dr. Nalinika Obeysekere's Pet Vet Clinic, for sterilisation; the dogs will be taken back by Dr. Harischandra's team to the United Motors Service Station where they will be looked after by that establishment. These dogs will be vaccinated against rabies and identified and allowed to live on the premises. It is envisaged that other establishments would follow this most humane example set by United Motors. On April 27, 20 dog catchers from 10 districts (2 dog catchers from each district) will be trained at the Department of Public Health Veterinary Services by WSPA's Mr. Brian Faulkner on humane dog catching and handling techniques. These techniques, while providing protection to the dog catchers, advocate ways of catching, handling, restraining, transporting and holding stray dogs humanely. Blue Paw will fund this event. In addition to the above, Dr. Harischandra will have his dog-catching team demonstrate on 22 April the catching of stray dogs and administration of the rabies vaccination using the auto vaccinator, and the administration of Depo-Provera injections to prevent pregnancies. KACPAW coordinated in the organisation of the series of events. |
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