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| Friday, 28 January 2005 |
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KACPAW (Kandy Association for Community Protection through Animal Welfare) is funding a rabies vaccination program of free-roaming dogs in the tsunami-hit areas from Kalutara to Hambantota, to be commenced by the Director, Public Health Veterinary Services either in the first week of February or the second. This work coupled with prevention of birth of offspring will be carried out intensely for two weeks from the commencement. This is taken as an immediate short-term measure to prevent any outbreak of rabies or a population surge in the tsunami-affected areas in order to safeguard dog populations from being killed and human beings from any threat of rabies. A KACPAW press release states that to further strengthen the Health Ministry's efforts through the Department of Public Health Veterinary Services (DPVHS) in eliminating rabies through humane methods of dog control, KACPAW will be shortly donating a three wheeler to the DPVHS to be used in the Kalutara District for a rabies/dog population control programme modelled on the highly successful program carried out by Dr. Harischandra during 2004 in the Puttalam District. In this program more than 75% of dogs vaccinated including free-roaming dogs against rabies with the most desirable results of no cases of dog rabies. Having had discussions with Dr. Harischandra, KACPAW has identified the lack of three wheelers as an impediment to starting such programmes elsewhere-three wheelers are used by Dr. Harischandra's teams to vaccinate free-roaming dogs as the dogs are used to these vehicles and the vehicle itself is versatile in busy and crowded areas-and depending on the success of the Kalutara District programme, KACPAW hopes to further strengthen such efforts to be begun in a couple of other districts as well by donations of three wheelers. An agreement will be reached that these three wheelers will not be used for catch and kill programs in those districts. KACPAW, together with WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals) hope to discuss a mid-to long-term program to bring about a solution to the problem of stray dogs in Sri Lanka, with a focus on using humane methods to achieve such an end. A WSPA team is in Sri Lanka at present to assess the situation with regard to the tsunami-affected areas to discuss a short-term plan, as well as possible mid-to long-term involvement in a program of humane dog/rabies control. KACPAW is a member society of WSPA and its work, mostly done with the Ministry of Health via the DPVHS, has been extremely well-supported by WSPA over the past years. Together, KACPAW and WSPA have been instrumental in carrying out training of vet surgeons in the early-age neutering technique with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Peradeniya and training of dog wardens in humane handling of dogs via several workshops conducted since 2002. Currently, 16 Central Province Government Vet Surgeons who have had a training in early-age neutering are carrying out free sterilizations (10 a month) and vaccination against rabies in their AGA divisions. KACPAW hopes to have the balance 15 vet surgeons of this province trained in this technique. WSPA has readily funded these programs via KACPAW. This program can be easily expanded later on to provide an efficient service to pet owners to have their dogs vaccinated/sterilized. |
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