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HSI Increases Support in
Sri Lanka
A skeptical patient awaits sterilization (photo HSI)
16 January 2005
With a new wave of puppies in the Sri Lankan refugee camps and many other dogs in heat, HSI is launching a sterilization program within the camps. HSI’s Sherry Grant, who is now in Banda Aceh, will be returning to Sri Lanka this week to meet up with a Bali Street Dog Foundation team consisting of lead surgeon Dr. Rai and veterinary assistant Nana. They will join up with HSI’s Robert Blumberg who is already on the ground coordinating efforts there.
Blumberg is eager to launch the sterilization program and reports that with the sponsorship of HSI, Pet V Care has vaccinated almost 3,000 dogs already. As a result of the tsunami disaster the sterilization and vaccination programs are vital to the control of rabies and the increased population of stay animals. “With Sri Lanka’s history of rabies, it is essential to have a program like this. This high density of people and dogs makes it very easy for rabies to spread and thus puts people at risk”, says Grant.
In addition to the Bali Street Dog Foundation team, HSI is also sending veterinarians Eric Davis and Lloyd Brown, part of HSI's International Disaster Relief Team (DART) to assist with both rabies vaccinations and sterilizations.
The sterilization program also hopes to recruit local veterinarians, some of whom are living in the camps. This will have the added advantage of furthering their education and in the long run benefiting animal welfare in the region.
- Piper Grant
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