Champa Fernando Secretary, KACPAW (Kandy Association for Community Protection through Animal Welfare)

I was more than happy when Dr. Hansaka Wijayamuni, Deputy Health Minister admitted in Parliament today (22/5/2025) that the national rabies eradication and dog population management programme has not provided sustainable results, and noted that something needs to be done to justify the Colossal amount of  money spent annually on sterilization and dog rabies vaccination with no sighting of any  sustainable results, and still being unable to stop human deaths from rabies despite providing prophylaxis to bite victims at an enormous cost.

Sterilization of Dogs

Since 2008 till to date, successive Health Ministries have monopolized sterilization of dogs, hiring contract veterinarians who can barely cover a single area consistently, let alone the entire island, without handing over the money to the Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH) which is the only Government Entity that has veterinarians, the right professionals to do animal surgeries, across the country.

Dogs mate/litter twice a year. People clamour to have their dogs sterilized, but despite millions allocated for spaying, most dog owners do not have any local access to getting their dogs spayed, because their local veterinarians have not been given a role to play in the National Dog Spay or dog rabies vaccination programme.  

Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, you can be the Change Agent. You have the authority to hand over the Rs. 200 Million allocated for dog surgeries in 2024 to the DAPH, which is ready to undertake that responsibility. That money is idling and dogs are proliferating. Lawmakers are complaining invain.

Sterilization of Dogs and Sustainable Results

Animal Welfare Organizations which focus on mass spaying over decades have shown by establishing models across the country that sterilization towards reaching zero dog population growth can be achieved if done consistently.

The only impediment they face in maintaining a consistent non-productive vaccinated street/Community dog population is dumping of new dogs by owners, which can be stemmed by registering dog owners and microchipping their dogs and of course by providing to them easy access for spaying in their localities through their local DAPH (government) veterinarians and arresting the need for dumping.   

Dog Rabies Vaccination

For decades the Health Ministry has failed to reach 80% dog vaccination coverage, which is needed for at least two consecutive years to obtain herd immunity, the prerequisite to eradicate rabies.

By not establishing a vibrant spay programme to progressively reduce the dog population, the number of dogs needing vaccination increases and the costs double and reaching 80% vaccination coverage moves further and further away.

Instead we have the Ministry illogically declare for mere cosmetic effects Rabies Eradication Years” every five or so years for as long as anyone can remember, without adopting measures that help eradicate rabies successfully, a relatively easier task from an island than from a continent sharing borders with other countries.  

Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, do not let down the people who believed in your government to adopt accountable programmes that provide sustainable results, cutting down wasteful costs.

Engage the DAPH to do the surgeries and dog rabies vaccinations with an input of the Health Ministry personnel to augment dog rabies vaccinations, working collectively to cover 80% dog rabies vaccination for two years to obtain herd immunity.

Cost Cutting on Rabies Prophylaxis

Dog owner registration and microchipping of the dogs will generate for hospitals dependable rabies vaccination records to decide whether a bite victim needs the prophylaxis or not or a reduced regimen, thus cutting down the costs and averting side effects of the prophylaxis given over and over for lack of dog vaccination records.      

An Intelligent Approach to Dog Sterilization and Rabies Eradication

Dog Sterilization and Rabies Eradication cannot be approached haphazardly as they have been so far done, sometimes catering to the whims and fancies of certain officials and politicians and wishfully thinking that sustainable results can be achieved by merely allocating money.

For instance, the money allocated for dog sterilizations must go to the DAPH as their veterinarians are the ONLY professionals who can perform surgeries.

Having spent Millions of public funds to get graduates trained as Veterinarians, is it logical to sideline them in addressing the eradication of a Zoonotic disease?

Over to you Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa. Be the Change Agent. To reiterate, as an immediate start, you can allocate the Rs. 200 Million to the DAPH for dog surgeries island-wide and get the ball rolling as it were.

Count on us and millions of Sri Lankans to support a logically applied dog sterilization and rabies vaccination programme.    

Champa Fernando

Secretary, KACPAW (Kandy Association for Community Protection through Animal Welfare)