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| Kelly O'Meara/HSI |
| A stray dog being treated at Help In Suffering in Jaipur. |
HSI works around the globe to extend the philosophy of humane animal control. A variety of capture and control methods can be used, but the animal's welfare is the first priority.
Misguided animal control policies are common in much of the world. Many municipalities lack an understanding of animal welfare and population control, and as a result, campaigns of poisoning, electrocution, drowning, starvation and other cruel methods have been used to "dispose" of unwanted animals. Whether it is to control zoonotic disease outbreaks and protect the general population, or to deal with dog bite issues, animal management policies can be unnecessarily cruel.
With the proper information on humane alternatives and access to resources to administer these more compassionate options, officials can protect both animals and public health.
In Jaipur, India, HSI has supported the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Extension Project with the HSI Animal Advocate, Help in Suffering. Over the past decade, this project has trained countless veterinarians, vet students and technicians, shelter managers and others in humane surgical techniques as well as in overall humane animal control methods. The program has improved the standards of animal surgery and post-operative care as well as greatly contributed to the expansion of the spay/neuter practice throughout the Asia region.
The project has also been a shining example of how vaccination/sterilization programs can succeed in eradicating the incidence of rabies in both the street dog and human populations. It is estimated that 20,000 people a year die from rabies in India. However, within the city limits of Jaipur, with a human population of 2.3 million, there have been no cases of human rabies deaths in the last five years.
There are a number of other organizations that HSI partners with and supports in India. The Marwar Trust, Animal Aid Society and Animal Help Foundation are just a few of the groups HSI has helped to create effective animal welfare programs.
