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This puppy was vaccinated to kick off the ceremony. Obhoyaronno
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An enthusiastic audience member. Obhoyaronno
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Animal-friendly t-shirts. Obhoyaronno
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Rahul speaks at the event featuring the official announcement. HSI
A few years ago, Rubaiya Ahmed founded Obhoyaronno, a non-governmental organization with a focus on street dog welfare.
HSI has partnered with Obhoyaronno to better the lives of street dogs in Bangladesh through multiple meetings with government officials and ongoing training in spay/neuter and humane capture of dogs. We helped identify the key areas to focus on and worked within the cultural and social boundaries of Bangladesh to effect positive change.
Making a deal
Toward the end of last year, we supported the local group’s efforts to conduct a census of the street dog population in Dhaka; during this time, for about three months, dog culling was put unofficially on hold. HSI and Obhoyaronno pushed for an agreement that following the completion of training in humane animal control, dog culling would come to an end in Bangladesh.
A milestone victory
Last month, we were proud to stand alongside Obhoyaronno as the government announced an end to street dog culling in the country’s capital, Dhaka. Rahul Sehgal, director of HSI India, was one the speakers at the historic January 21, 2012 event. It was an unprecedented victory for street dog rights in this country: the first time that the culling of these animals has been called off in a Bangladesh city.
Ensuring long-term success
However, the journey doesn’t end there. As agreed, sustained, effective spay/neuter programs by trained, local veterinarians will follow to ensure the long-term welfare of street dogs in Dhaka. HSI brought vets and paravets from Obhoyaronno to our newly established Jaipur Veterinary Training Center in India for month-long training sessions, including practice of our easy-to-perform spay/neuter surgery, typically coupled with vaccinations against diseases like rabies, a raging problem in Bangladesh.
HSI India’s veterinary teams, who have performed thousands of spay/neuter surgeries in countries like Bhutan, Philippines, and India, will also continue to visit Bangladesh to support their colleagues. Give today to support our work.