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Rapa Quindlen
GELUP – With the completion of nationwide sterilization of stray dogs, the country has finally seen steady improvement in its decade-long healthcare burden related to dog bites and rabies.
Nearly 550 dog bites were reported last year, compared with an annual average of 7,000. With a total population of 782,455, that means about 70 dog bites per 100,000 people per year, down from an average of 895 per 100,000 people.
According to the animal husbandry department, most communities, both rural and urban, have reported a significant reduction in stray dog nuisance, noise pollution from barking dogs, dog bite threats, livestock attacks and feral dog problems.
Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Younten Phuntsho told Kuensel that the streets are now safer for the public, tourists and schoolchildren, with fewer nuisances caused by stray dogs and improved overall hygiene. “Sterilized dogs are usually docile, less aggressive and friendly.”
“Today, you don’t see stray puppies on the streets and there are fewer problems with noise disturbing tourists at night,” Leonpo said, adding that the reduction in the number of stray dogs ensures the health and welfare of the existing dogs.
The government spends about N9.3 million per year on providing human post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a preventive treatment given after a possible exposure to rabies to prevent the virus from causing infection.
Leonpo attributed the successful implementation of the National Accelerated Dog Population Management and Rabies Control Programme to the leadership of His Majesty the King and thanked his predecessor, De-Suups, livestock officials and others involved in the project for their commendable efforts.
Within two years of the project’s implementation, a total of 61,680 stray dogs were sterilized, 32,544 pet dogs were registered and microchipped, and 61,331 dogs in high-risk areas were vaccinated against rabies.
The campaign has a budget of 295 million Nunatrum and is due to be completed in October 2023, with a total of 12,812 personnel, including 9,036 De-Suups.
Bhutan is the first country to sterilize stray dogs nationwide under the order of His Majesty the King. This achievement brings Bhutan closer to the global goal of eliminating dog-transmitted human rabies by 2030.
The Livestock Industry Rules and Regulations (2022) were amended to support dog population management programmes, including the development of a blueprint focused on a ‘whole-of-people’ approach and a clear exit strategy.
This reduces the risk of rabies transmission and protects both humans and animals. However, the cross-border movement of unsterilized and unvaccinated dogs still poses a threat, as current outbreaks of animal rabies have crossed borders.
The dog population management program began in 2009 when the Humane Society International (HSI) launched a pilot sterilization and vaccination program in Thimphu, which was later expanded into a national dog population management and rabies control program. In the past, several approaches taken by the government have failed due to sustainability issues and concerns about animal welfare.
The World Health Organization estimates that rabies kills about 59,000 people each year, mostly from dog bites. An estimated 300 million stray dogs in Asia face starvation, untreated disease, injuries and inhumane treatment.
challenge Activity
Implementing the dog population management program was not without its challenges. The project, the first of its kind in the world, was implemented during the pandemic, when travel restrictions prevented planned activities from taking place.
Leonpo Yuenden Puencuo said challenges were inevitable as officials lacked lessons learned, prior knowledge or experience in project implementation. “Everything was developed and implemented by our own people,” he added.
Leonpaugh said the large number of stray dogs posed a huge challenge to the logistics and resource planning of the program.
Another challenge is irresponsible pet dog keeping, which remains a major problem for effective management of the dog population in the country.
Livestock legislation lacks adequate rules and regulations to regulate responsible pet keeping and dog population management. This has prompted the government to implement additional measures to manage pets, feed stray dogs, and manage feral dogs.
Capturing stray dogs (especially sensitive and elusive dogs), reaching rugged terrains, remote and inaccessible areas and handling highly aggressive stray dogs were some of the major challenges encountered during the campaign.
The Royal Society for the Prevention and Care of Animals (RSPCA) and the Jangsa Animal Rescue Foundation were actively involved in addressing these issues. Shelters for aggressive dogs were established in Paro and Thimphu, and later managed by the Nakulu Shelter.
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