Haryana signs pact on sterilisation of dogs

To implement the programme for mass sterilisation and vaccination of street dogs to prevent the spread of rabies in Gurgaon division, Haryana Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NGO Freindicos Seca-India for providing it the required logistics support.
The MoU was signed by the Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Abhilaksh Likhi, and Vice-President, Friendicos SECA-India, Geeta Seshamani, here today.
Disclosing this, an official spokesman said the NGO had been appointed by the Animal Welfare Board of India to implement the programme in Gurgaon division.
Under the MoU, the components of Animal Birth Control (ABC) and Mass Dog Vaccination (MDV) would be conducted scientifically by FSECA-India.

The requisite logistics support would be provided by the Municipal Corporation, Gurgaon, in the urban areas, and by the gram panchyat concerned in the rural areas.
Since rabies is responsible for causing a large number of human and livestock deaths, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on the advice of the Animal Welfare Board of India, has approved a unique programme for mass anti-rabies vaccination and mass sterilisation of street dogs in Haryana.

This programme would help in controlling rabies by preventing overpopulation of dogs.
The animal component of the National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP), a programme of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, is being implemented in the state through the Animal Welfare Board of India, he said.

The programme was launched by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khatar at the Agri-Leadership Summit held at Gurgaon on March 15, 2015.
Presently, the flagship programme is being successfully implemented in the districts of Hisar division.
Under this programme, more than 1.25 lakh dogs have been administered anti-rabies vaccine and 26,000 dogs have been sterilised, the spokesman added.