MISSION SAROMAYO
Integrated Street Dog Rehabilitation Programme

REPORT OF VISKHAPATNAM STREET DOG ABC PROGRAMME

 OF VSPCA.

 

 

From   Pradeep Nath <vspcadeep@yahoo.co.in>

to         missionsaromayo@gmail.com

date    Fri, Jun 20, 2008 at 9:32 AM

subject            Fw: ABC

 

Dear Mr.Roy,

 

 We are the first people to bring home the CNVR mission .  You can have a look at the attachment of our brief transformation to the CNVR with some changes benefitting the dogs.

 

It is important to recognise the actual practical works on the field rather than depend on long and tall claims.

 

All best.

 

Pradeep.

Visakhapatnam SAGA:  (The Non Mobile Approach):- 

In November 1996 VisakhaSPCA won a major victory in the Andhra Pradesh court to stop the gruesome and painful killing of dog.  They had brutally killed 72,000 dogs in this manner and other cruel ways for 5 years.  Visakha SPCA convinced the court that sterilization and immunization was the only sane option for reducing the street dog population while at the same time bringing down the rabies incidences. 

But it is has been continuing to fight to uphold the Dog Rules and protect the street dogs’ very right to exist.  The Municipality tries through illegal methods to sabotage the program with all kind of pressure while ignoring scientific evidence that the ABC project does indeed work. 

Visakha SPCA goes out on dangerous nighttime patrols to prevent the dog killing, has constant meetings with officials to get them to uphold the law, and uses lawyers and writ petitions to protect the dogs legal right to life according to the animals welfare laws of India. 

VisakhaSPCA has realized the coverage of over 50,000 dogs within the city limits going for a target of 70% to 80% sterilization.  (The remaining dogs are in hard to reach areas).  The street dogs who are sterilized and returned to their communities are extremely friendly, docile and absolutely charming.  Even though these dogs may not be “owned” by an individual, they may be fed regularly, sleep in the same place every night and respond to and protect the people in their immediate community.  They are asset to Indian neighborhood life. 

The number of human and dog rabies cases per year have steadily gone down through implementation of ABC.  And any that occur are on the city outskirt but will be taken care of once Visakha SPCA has funds to revaccinate all the dogs. Below is an idea of how complaints towards the street dogs have lessened through adoption of ABC programs. Complaints   investigated by us that the street dogs have been provoked into their ill behavior by the public but all these complaints are coming down nonetheless.  

Statistical  Data: Below is an idea of how complaints towards the street dogs have lessened through adoption of ABC programs. Complaints investigated by us  indicated that the street dogs have been provoked into their ill behavior by  the public but all these complaints are coming down nonetheless. 

 

45604 dogs vaccinated and sterilized from 1999 to 2007 March.

4396 dogs euthanized under Animal Welfare rules; specified as suspected rabies violent dogs, and terminally ill.

Since 2001, a 75% reduction in the number of pregnant females.

Since 2001, an 80% reduction in the number of puppies in the city.

Since 2001, a reduction in the number of mothers with puppies of 90%

 According to King George Hospital Records, new complaints of dog biting have gone from 100 per day to 10 per day.

• Finally, since the VSPCA has taken over the catching of dogs, we have seen a reduction in the number of dog – related complaints from 60 per day to only 2 per day.
• Dog bites (Provoked biting)    60% to 2%
• Dogs chasing people on bikes, etc  10% to 3%
• Groups of dogs     10% to 5%
• Unprovoked dogs    20% to 2%

Hindrances

 90 % of the dog bite cases relates to provoked biting, provoked biting means that the dog was irritated by methods as throwing of stones, hitting with the stick, Kicking, throwing hot water, frightening the animals in using crackers and other violent instruments involving aggression… are very much responsible for the dog to react as a measure of self defense.

 

The Aggressive behavior of the dogs is more psychological and also on the diet. The street dog population is directly proportionally to the availability of the food. In our city. There is more availability or wasteful food and more availability of non- vegetarian stalls, our drain is filled with the remains of slaughtered animals and the water is covered red with foul smell emanating.

Proper lack of continuity in the eligibility of funds from as grants authorities as AWBI and local body, results in disturbing to the flow of operations per day.

Absolutely wrong reportings, revengeful reportings, adverse reportings, manipulated reportings, politicized and hyped reportings seriously hampering the objective of the program.   

Suggestions :   

For better improvement and better efficiency improving in making the ABC program more successful.  

Vigorous operations per day must be conducted .The role here is the rate of operation must be over the rate of giving birth.

The idea being to sterilize female and male with 80% and 20% ratio.

Revaccination program needs to be followed and implemented strictly.

Either in the form of funds or material help must be provided in advance or in time to facilitate the camps to conduct more per day without any break.

The garbage system must and should improve drastically and all the non- vegetarian stalls, should follow the hygienic rules and proper waste management.

The breed dog seller, breeders, and seller of puppies must follow the strict measure under the AWBI rules. Most of these breed dogs and pet owners are unlicensed and follow no protocols for getting them vaccinated against rabies. It is our experience that 30% of our rescued animals belong to the pedigree category, who are abandoned by the owners once they get some disease .It is pertinent to mention here that the street dogs covered under ABC is surely more safer than the pet dogs.

Very highly recommended to conduct comprehensive and innovative awareness cum education campaign.

The CNVR Approach:  (Mobile approach): 

I always believe in improving on the projects with every opportunity possible and change with circumstances benefitting the animals and never be complacent on what we have achieved especially when it comes to controlling Rabies disease for the dogs. GVMC has expanded five times comprising of 32 Panchayats and one Municipal Corporation which includes another 50,000 street dogs and it was imperative for  me to look at more vigorous progress which means more operations per day and this could be possible only with more efficient management.  This was important because any single unfortunate incident can lead to strong anti - dog reaction that will be ruled and governed by the sentiments of the public and over looking the well made Rules and Law and the uprisings by the public can upset the well oiled program achieved so far.  The incidences at Bangalore and Hyderabad stands testimony to this effect and one cannot satisfy with any explanations whether the program has been in vogue or not in the areas because it will not satiate the victim sentiments.  I look forward for better improvement and solution to the many serious hindrances that the program thus faces today.  

In this regard one of the many benefits has been to meet Sherry in the earliest of AFA conference and her “butterfly – net” catching system and the mobile camps which necessitated out of compulsive infrastructural availability factors as I  understood. 

Disasters are worst for the animals but every disaster has taught us many useful methods and contacts and immediately after the Tsunami in 2004 / December we were hit very badly by severe Cyclones (2005-2006) and had Sherry here on behalf of HIS International to help cope with this phenomenal disaster. 

With the desire to improve and keeping in mind the two issues to improve in our ABC – I requested Sherry to include a multipurpose team that would help in the disaster management while also training us to develop one – day release camps for dogs (CNVR). 

Though, the Municipality could not be confirmed to part with funds commitment.  Yet we went ahead with changes, training and implementation with whatever was eligible to be done. 

The first was changing to the butterfly net catching system.

The second was to implement all the asepsis procedure and all the technical expertise (which we already were upgrading) to reduce the stay of dogs in shelter from four days to two days for females and from three days to one day for the males. 

The first was changing to the butterfly net catching system. The second was to implement all the asepsis procedure and all the technical expertise (which we already were upgrading) to reduce the stay of dogs in shelter from four days to two days for females and from three days to one day for the males.  Would like to mention here that VSPCA was the first to implement the CNVR in India and the experience learned from 2005 / Dec.  Future Expansion With GVMC:- [CNVR Approach] : On 21^st April 2007 the Chairman of AWBI, had reached an agreement  with the Commissioner of GVMC with matching grant of 5000 dogs from each of them

respectively to implement CNR ( cat, Neuter, release) of the stray dogs under the expanded Grater Visakha by conducting mobile camps.  

This approach is to sterilize more vigorously and achieve the target quicker. Under these special camps using modified method to reach out in public to realize the objectives faster.

It was also agreed that Visakhapatnam as the sixth city in India to get assistance for conducting oral rabies camps for five years consequently under the “RABIES FREE INDIA PILOT PROJECT’ 

It was also agreed that GVMC would provide suitable land and infrastructure for rehabilitation of the nervous dogs and chasing dogs and the dog that cannot be brought back to the main stream.

The above measures are aimed at covering the area faster, efficiently and as per protocol.

The project here in Visakhapatnam stands as a pilot project for the State of Andhra Pradesh. 

Conclusion: Killing is not the criteria to solve the problem in our administrative system  the conduction of vigorous ABC program with all its released measures follow strictly will get the desired effect. We live in a civilized society and the best approach is towards the long term for permanent solution.  

Under the CNVR Approach we consider as most advantages to quickly achieve the target- BUT -??? 

As Experienced by us: -  

1. CNVR Approach is not patronized by more than 90 % animal activists.
2. Most of them feel it is an extreme step in the name of controlling dog population.
3. VSPCA faced an uphill task to convince the Board of Directors and Governing Body .It was most difficult to control the sentiments and emotions of the personnel incharge on the field for motivation.
4. The Veterinarian fratesuities neither had the faith motivation and technically looking.

Improvements in our CNVR Approach to satisfy the “YESSES AND NOS”:

 We search for facilities that can have Electricity, Roofs Cementing, Floors, fans, Refrigerators,

And these are made possible in rural areas . Thus, this takes care of cleanliness/hygienic, good storage, usage of autoclaves and ear notching machines.

 Positive Attitude:-- Modified version and psychological balance: 

1. The contentious issue if “Immediate release” has given way to the terminology “Same day” release which means 24 hours from the time of trappings.
2. It was a psychological balance in favor of CNVR to say that males can go within hours while female can go within 24 hours.
3. Able to prove that the dogs under ABC programme under the regular pattern has undergone the same time when considering that the dogs are not operated the same day and released after operation the next day.
4. We have mobile cages in every camp in dealing with categories of dogs that needs genuine observations.

 Benefits: 

                   Creates awareness

                   Public knowledge ends in having faith in the program

                   Focused attitude by the team, a mission accomplished

                   Higher level of commitment and dedication

                   Vigorous capacity of operations

                   Area wise and target wise realizes the goal more efficiently

These improvement changes has not diluted the CNVR concept but strengthened the program convincing all stake holders and able to get cracking with best results.

Even the AWBI and local authorities have been very encouraging under this approach. This confidence has made the renewal of ABC that much easier and the concept of CNVR has gained popularity diminishing the “Evils” of having “No Animal Welfare Instinct”. 

This in brief has been our way of CNVR which is revolutionary to do vigorous operations with best results. This can bring in good results and more support. 

Derivations, lessons learned and continue to improve: 

India desperately needs and has only one option to deal with her massive street dog population and the huge Rabies disease occurrences.  In order to project the efficiency and prove that the ABC program is successful then the evaluation has to provide the reality data to the problem. CNVR approach has the scope of achieving the objective. The approach can convince the donors and grant providers the usefulness of following this method. 

At VSPCA whatever may we call the name of method – we seek to develop and improve everyday to :-  

Provide the street dogs the best welfare measures without compromising with any sort of shortcuts to achieve the targets.