A million dogs their target

Stanley SENEVIRATNE, Kurunegala North group corr

A special program to sterilise one million dogs islandwide this year is underway. The National Rabies Prevention Committee has implemented this project to bring down the fast increasing dog population which is a serious health hazard.

Dr. Chamith Nanayakkara, a senior member of the committee told the media that more than 24,000 dogs were sterilized up to March 25 and the number of patients vaccinated against hydrophobia is increasing in alarming proportions every year.

Health Ministry allocates Rs. 600 million annually for the successful implementation of the project. The National Rabies Prevention program costs Rs. 93 million in view of the ban on destroying stray dogs.

This program was first implemented in 2008 as a piolet project in Central Province and expanded to other areas and the Health Ministry had allocated an estimated sum of Rs. 200 million this year to sterilize 200,000 dogs.

Dr. Nanayakkara said that the programme commenced from Kurunegala district on March 23 and the project was implemented in the Sabaragamuwa, Central and North Western Provinces as well.

He requested the public to bring their pet dogs to the free animal clinics which would be held with prior notice to sterilize and vaccinate them against rabies.