The Nationwide Accelerated Dog Population Management and Rabies Control Programme have sterilised more than 93,000 dogs in the country so far. Except for Gasa, Dagana, Samtse and Samdrup Jongkhar districts, the programme has achieved 100 per cent sterilisation coverage in the other 16 districts. The Department of Livestock expects to complete the sterilisation programme in the remaining four districts within a week.
The Department of Livestock in collaboration with the De-Suung started the Nationwide Accelerated Dog Population Management and Rabies Control Programme in August of 2021.
The two-year project was initiated to minimise the risk of dog bites and to eliminate human deaths from rabies by 2030.
The Nationwide Free-roaming Dog Survey 2021, found more than 72,000 free-roaming dogs in the country.
Paro and Samtse had the highest number of free-roaming dogs followed by Trashigang and Thimphu. Gasa and Haa districts had the lowest number of dogs.
The highest number of dogs were sterilised in Trashigang at almost 6000 dogs. 4600 dogs were sterilised in Monggar and 4500 dogs in Paro.
‘‘The independent survey team have completed survey in Gasa and Dagana and data validation is in the process. In Samtse and Samdrup Jongkhar, we have independent survey going on, which they will complete in a few days’ time and so, we are hoping by the end of this month all dzongkhags will be declared as 100 per cent coverage in sterilisation,” said Dr Kinley Dorji, Team Leader of NADPM & RCP.
He added the districts need to submit self-declaration stating 100 per cent coverage in their respective districts to be declared as 100 per cent achievement.
“Once we receive the self-declaration, we submit it to De-Suung office to do independent survey. I think they are given 10 days to do survey in the given dzongkhag and if they do not find any un-notched dog, then they submit a report to us and we validate their data and then endorse as achieved 100 per cent.”
The Nationwide Accelerated Dog Population Management and Rabies Control Programme hopes to make the country free of stray dogs in a decade or so.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Sherub Dorji
