I LOVE DOGS:
VACCINATIONS FOR THE HEALTH OF CANINES & THEIR FRIENDS

The Problem

The ‘I Love Dogs’ program was created in the Spring of 2000, when Dharamshala was struck by a severe rabies outbreak. Countless street dogs became infected with the disease and many humans were attacked. Several people died from rabies, including children. Desperate to put an end to the outbreak, the local government killed scores of dogs (including healthy pets) by setting out poisoned meat on the road.

The Solution

Out of compassion for the dogs and people of the area, several individuals and organisations rallied to stop the killing and to halt the rabies outbreak in a humane way. These efforts culminated in the creation of I Love Dogs, the first successful widespread vaccination program in the Dharamshala area. Vaccinations for rabies and seven other harmful diseases are administered by international volunteers and Tibetan refugees trained by DEVI and local veterinarians. Since the start of the programme, we vaccinated more than 200 dogs in and around Dharamshala, with repeat vaccinations once a year, as recommended by local veterinarians for maximum protection against the spread of infection.