INDIA
It is estimated that there are 15 to 20 million stray dogs in India and around 20,000 people die of rabies every year in the country. The first ABC Programme was set up in 1964 in the city of Madras (now, Chennai). In 2001 the Central Government of India promulgated the ABC (Dogs) Rules 2001 pursuant to section 38 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, setting out national guidelines to a humane sterilisation/vaccination programme. A national agency, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), supports the implementation of ABC programmes by animal welfare organisations all over India.
India has a long history of animal welfare activism arising from the country’s religious and cultural influence. Under current ABC efforts, more than 70,000 stray dogs are sterilised each year with little impact on the overall stray dog population. Owing to the sheer size of the country and the scale of the problem, India has in recent years become a preferred working place for international animal welfare organisations.
HOPE and Animal Trust
HOPE & Animal Trust is a non-governmental organisation founded in 2000 in Ranchi by a small group of young professionals with diversified knowledge in rural development and animal welfare. The Mayhew Animal Home has been helping HOPE & Animal Trust since August 2005, by providing advice and funding humane education and training programmes in preparation for the commencement of their animal welfare activities.
The Mayhew Animal Home supports HOPE & Animal Trust in its aim to improve the welfare of animals in Ranchi by:
- Implementing an Animal Birth Control Programme for the vaccination and sterilisation of stray dogs;
- Establishing an Emergency Rescue Service and low-cost veterinary services for Ranchi and surrounding villages;
- Running an education programme to promote animal welfare in the communities;
- Promoting income-generating activities such as a Humane Dairy Farming Scheme to establish sustainable livelihood for local communities as well as the organisation.
Why we work here:
Ranchi is the capital of the newly created (in 2000) Jharkhand state situated in Northeast India, approximately 400km west of Kolkata. Over the past five years, Ranchi has seen an alarming increase in the number of stray dogs. Many of them cannot find food and suffer from diseases. Many more are victims of road accidents; some survive without treatment for their injuries while others are left to die. Stray dogs are now a danger in terms of both hygiene and risk of rabies.
In 1998-2000 Praveen Ohal, the founder of HOPE & Animal Trust, raised money to begin this project by walking on foot across Asia and visiting schools to speak about the need for protecting the environment and animals. With the money raised from his trek and support from other international aid organisations, HOPE & Animal Trust purchased some land near Ranchi City and began building the infrastructure for their animal welfare project: a veterinary clinic (with an education room attached), a shelter for dogs and a shelter for large/farm animals.
Today, the clinic and the shelters are almost complete. However, we still need funds to finish the construction and also to purchase an ambulance vehicle and equipment needed for the clinic.
What we are doing:
Since 2006 this group has worked with The Mayhew Animal Home for the welfare of street dogs. Mayhew supported them to finish the construction of animal shelter 35 km away from Ranchi city. We also provided funds for rabies vaccines. They are now looking to operate a Mobile Animal Birth Control Programme in Ranchi city.
TNR Progamme for Ranchi City:
They are keen to set up an awareness education programme and also set up the sponsorship of a full time veterinarian. They will be running education campaigns, targeted particularly at the youth and elderly, to encourage more respect and understanding of the plight of the animals. This will be conducted in Hindi. With the use of a full time veterinarian it is predicted that they will be able to do 12 sterilisations each day compared to 7 currently. With their current level of transport (a three wheeled man pulled rickshaw) they estimate they could perform 150 sterilisations per month, however, if they can get further financial support for this area to improve this vehicle then they estimate they could manage 200 – 250 dogs each month. In total they believe they will be able to neuter at least 1800 dogs in 2009. We are keen to sponsor the veterinary doctor and a veterinary assistant to ensure that this project can go ahead.
Progress Update:
Mayhew International has agreed to help support the work which Hope and Animal Trust, India are looking to do to improve animal welfare in their country. As a keen supporter of sterilisation as a method of controlling stray animal overpopulation in urban and rural environments, we have sponsored a local veterinarian in this area. Having recently joined the organisation in May, Dr. Ajoy Kumar joins the cause with a heavy responsibility to work diligently on the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme in place. Dr. Kumar (28) has two years professional experience since graduating from university working for the Animal Help Foundation (AHF) under the banner of the Humane Society of the United States. He comes with an excellent reputation for efficient neutering technique and able surgery.
In his first two weeks at work, he managed to neuter 78 animals of an equal number of males and females. Great effort!
During May and June, Dr. Kumar has managed to neuter 322 animals, despite the local and national elections. In July, whilst continuing to now administer rabies vaccines to all dogs, the team managed to neuter almost 200 animals.
VSPCA 
Stray or community dogs are a problem all over India. Stray and feral cats are not very numerous due to competition for food sources from the dogs and other animals such as monkeys. The authorities have been cruelly killing dogs for over 100 years and this inhumane system has brought much suffering with poor results. In the 1990’s the TNR or ABC (Animal Birth Control or catch/spay/neuter/vaccinate and release) method was gradually adopted first in the cities of India. While bringing down the number of street dogs in a humane manner the number of cases of human rabies also dramatically declined.
The Visakha Society for Protection and Care for Animals (VSPCA) has been running since 1996 and has attempted to implement TNR programmes on dogs and cats in Andhra Pradesh, India.
Stray or community dogs are a problem all over India. The authorities have been cruelly killing dogs for over 100 years and this inhumane system has bro
ught much suffering with poor results. In the 1990’s the TNR method was gradually adopted first in the cities of India. While bringing down the number of street dogs in a humane manner the number of cases of human rabies also dramatically declined.
Visakha SPCA has realised the sterilisation of almost 70,000 dogs within the city limits going for a target of 70% to 80% sterilization. They are now looking to set up a programme in Bhimili, which is located exactly 30 kms to the North of Visakhapatnam and abutting the Bay of Bengal.
From the census done recently the stray dogs population of Bhimili municipality is around 1,300. So far no attempt was made to do this sterilisation program. They estimate another 300 dogs could also have moved in since the census so the number is estimated to be closer to 1,600 animals.
The estimated completion time of the project is six months which would be run in conjunction to the existing Animal Birth Control (ABC) Programme in Visakhapatnam City where they are conducting 40 surgeries per day with a team of four skilled veterinarians.