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Bow wow! The dogs have their day
By Marisa de Silva
With the recent disclosure that more than 30,000 dogs are picked up from the streets of Colombo and killed every year, animal lovers with veterinarians and government officials have stepped out to save the dogs and give them to caring people.

A sterilisation cum vaccination programme, organised by animal rights activists in association with local vets and a foreign veterinary team has just been completed. This initiative is the first in a series of programmes to eradicate rabies and reduce the stray dog population through the use of humane and more effective methods.

This programme was organised as a result of a one month "No Kill" agreement between the animal lovers, the Ministry of Health and the Colombo Municipal Council. This project will be reviewed by the Minister of Health at the end of the month, and will be allowed to continue depending on its success, an organiser said.

He said 65 dogs had been sterilised, vaccinated and marked. They were now housed at the Colombo Mayor's residence and at the residence of the Health Minister's wife, Ira de Silva, till they are taken charge by a caring person. So far 12 dogs have been picked up.

The Health Ministry has also agreed to appoint three vets to join forces with the visiting foreign vets to carry out a similar project in Colombo. The official said they hoped to sterilize and vaccinate about 1000 dogs and give them to caring people.

According to the Animal Welfare and Protection Association (AWPA), the Municipal Council eliminates more than 30,000 dogs every year and the animal lovers hope to stop this through the 'don't kill' programme.

A volunteer said the killing of these dogs was not only against WHO principles but also violated the hallowed Dhamma principle of compassion to all beings. Anyone interested in caring for a dog or making a donation towards the new campaign to save the dogs could contact the organisers on 0777-448772/2735182/5511545.

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