Why vaccinate the strays?

The living conditions of these strays are not good. They eat from garbage and also spend most of their time there. These strays don’t know how to separate themselves from an infected dog. Hence, they catch diseases quickly. Some of these diseases are highly contagious & deadly, even for humans, like Rabies. As per W.H.O, India has around 20,000 rabies deaths a year because of Rabies. Vaccination is a proactive approach to prevent the spread of such fatal diseases.

What are some important vaccinations for stray dogs?

Two important vaccine for your stray dogs:

• Anti Rabies shot
• 7-in-1 vaccination: protects your dog from Canine Distemper, Hepatitis, Corona Viral Enteritis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus and Leptospirosis

Why Sterilize the stray?

The most important reason is to control the population. Other reasons and benefits are:

• It curbs unwanted hormone-related behavior, like aggression in male dogs.
• It helps them live a healthier & longer life
• Reduces human-animal conflict
• Reduces spread of diseases

Important points to keep in mind while carrying out sterilization of the strays

• Contact the feeder: Dogs trust their feeder. A feeder can assist in catching & handling the dogs humanely. A feeder might either be a person who has volunteered to take care of strays of a particular area or people from nearby houses who feed the targeted strays frequently.
• Place strays back to their territory: Dogs are territorial & attack any unfamiliar dog. Releasing sterilized dogs to other locations will put them at risk.
• Dogs need post-surgery care: Make arrangements so that sterilized dogs remain under observation & care.
• Be there for them, from beginning till the end: From catching to surgery to placing back & till post-surgery care, be there for the dogs. The process takes a toll on them and could be stressful if not handled properly.