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Opinion Island 16th of October www.island.lk

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Continue sterilization programme

 

I read an article in the Island on October 7, on the above heading by one

Betty Jean Harner of the USA.

 

The Kandy municipality started a pilot project about six months ago — to

adopt " Humane Method " of eliminating rabies by sterilization and giving

anti-rabies injections to stray dogs caught by the municipality vans and

brought to the dog pound. Earlier, the dogs were eliminated by the cruelest

way of gassing them. Since this project was started, no dogs have been

killed in the Kandy town.

 

The project is funded by a Swiss society headed by one Edith Zellweger. We

are grateful to Edith Zellweger and the volunteer workers who tirelessly

work at the dog pound to make this scheme a success.

 

Stray dogs were killed for the last 50 years or so, to eliminate rabies.

Large sums of money are spent in hospitals to give anti-rabies injections to

human beings. The highest incidence of rabies was reported from the Central

Province in the years 1998-1999.

 

In Jaipur in India, the humane method of eliminating rabies has been very

successful, and about 20,000 dogs also have been saved.

 

I understand that at a meeting held at the Kandy Municipality chaired by the

Mayor and attended by health officials, it was decided to start the killing

of dogs again, as a foreign cricket team is to play a match at the Asgiriya

playground in Kandy and also some heartless people complained to the

municipality to eliminate these dogs.

 

I think it is absurd to give up a scheme just started a few months ago when

the age old method has proved a failure. I appeal to the Mayor to reconsider

this decision of killing dogs and to allow the ‘humane method’ at least for

two years to prove its worth.

 

The dogs around the cricket grounds and in the town could be caught and be

sent to the dog pound to be sterilized and given the anti -rabies vaccine

and not killed.

Dr. Godamunne

Kandy Humanitarian Society

 

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