Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 4 : The Shimla Municipal Corporation, in coordination with animal welfare organisations, veterinary students, experts and volunteers, has launched a mass anti-rabies vaccination drive for stray dogs in the hill city, targeting more than 4,000 animals over the next 10 days.
The campaign, which began on October 3 and is scheduled to continue till October 12-13, is being conducted across the 34 wards of Shimla with the objective of expanding vaccination coverage and reducing the transmission of rabies among the city's stray dog population.
The campaign has brought together volunteers from Shimla as well as teams from other states, including Rajasthan and Punjab. Around nine teams have been formed for the exercise, with three teams involved in net-catching of dogs and the remaining teams undertaking hand-catching operations.
Volunteers said the exercise involves considerable risk as dogs may bite while being caught and restrained. However, members of the teams have undergone preventive anti-rabies vaccination before participating in the campaign.
Vishal, a volunteer from Jaipur, Rajasthan, speaking with ANI, said his team had begun work in Shimla on Friday and was involved in catching and vaccinating dogs against rabies.
"Today is the first day for us in Shimla. We are catching dogs and administering anti-rabies vaccines. There is always a risk because a dog can bite while being caught. Our target is around 5,000 dogs in 10 days. We are a team of around 40 people and have been involved in this work for the last two years." Said Vishal 
He said the team had earlier undertaken similar vaccination work in other parts of the country and had now come to Shimla to assist in the campaign.
Subratto, General Secretary of the Human People organisation and a volunteer associated with animal welfare activities, while speaking to ANI, said the organisation had set a target of vaccinating more than 4,000 dogs during the 10-day campaign.
"We are conducting a mass dog vaccination programme from October 3 to October 13, with a target of vaccinating more than 4,000 dogs. We have formed nine teams, of which three are involved in net-catching, and the remaining teams are doing hand-catching. We are trying to cover all 34 wards of Shimla." He said.
Dutta said around 3,700 dogs were vaccinated during the organisation's campaign last year and that the volunteers had also conducted vaccination and sterilisation drives in areas including Kotkhai, Jubbal, Rohru and Rampur.
He said the organisation regularly assists other animal welfare groups with vaccination, sterilisation and rescue operations.
"Last year, around 3,700 dogs were vaccinated. We have also conducted door-to-door vaccination drives and campaigns in Kotkhai, Jubbal and Rohru, while vaccination work continues regularly in Rampur. We also recently helped in the sterilisation of around 130 dogs in Rampur," he said.
He said the organisation was also assisting the Shimla Municipal Corporation in catching dogs for its Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme.
"The Municipal Corporation has asked us to help with catching dogs because its staff sometimes faces difficulty in catching them. Our experienced volunteers are assisting them. Vans have also been attached to the programme, and when dogs are caught, they are taken for sterilisation under the Municipal Corporation's programme." He said
Subrato said the Shimla Municipal Corporation and the Animal Husbandry Department were extending cooperation to the volunteers, including permissions for vehicles to enter restricted areas where required for the vaccination and catching operations.

The campaign is also receiving support from veterinary students and experts, who are working to create awareness about rabies prevention and the importance of mass vaccination.
Aratrika Agrawal, Vice President of IVSA India and a fourth-year BVSc student at ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, speaking with ANI, said mass vaccination was essential for breaking the transmission cycle of rabies.
"The main objective is to break the transmission cycle of rabies through herd immunity. Mass vaccination is the only way we can eliminate rabies. Removing dogs from an area, killing them or confining them is not the answer. Vaccination and preventive measures are the way to stop the cycle of rabies."
Agrawal said the campaign was targeting vaccination of at least 70-80 per cent of Shimla's dog population during the 10-day exercise.
She also appealed to residents not to provoke stray dogs and to avoid unnecessary interaction with aggressive animals.
"Animals are very sensitive. People should not provoke them or throw stones at them. If you are not comfortable interacting with a dog, do not do so. If a dog appears aggressive, simply change your route and avoid interaction."
She also advised people bitten by a dog to immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water and seek medical attention for post-exposure treatment.
"Do not apply substances such as turmeric, chilli or other home remedies to a dog-bite wound. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for around 10 to 15 minutes and then immediately go to a hospital and consult a doctor regarding the anti-rabies vaccination schedule," Agrawal said.
She said catching dogs in Shimla presented additional challenges because of the city's mountainous terrain.
"Since I come from Bareilly, which is a plain area, the dogs there cannot jump and move in the same way. In Shimla, the dogs are accustomed to the mountain terrain and can jump quickly, so catching and restraining them is somewhat difficult," she said.
Shimla Municipal Corporation Mayor Surinder Chauhan said the civic body had sought assistance from NGOs and volunteers to strengthen anti-rabies vaccination and dog population management efforts.
"We requested NGOs and volunteers to help us with vaccination. They are doing this work free of cost as a social service. The anti-rabies injections are being administered and, at the same time, the dog population is also being counted." He said
Chauhan said the Municipal Corporation had previously conducted a vaccination campaign in Shimla, during which around 3,000 dogs were reportedly covered and counted, and that the ongoing exercise would also help update the city's dog population data.
He said the campaign had begun in different wards and that ward councillors would help identify areas where the concentration of stray dogs was higher.
The Mayor said the Municipal Corporation was also preparing to undertake a larger sterilisation programme after the vaccination campaign.
"After October 15, we are planning to start sterilisation work on a larger scale. After sterilisation, dogs have to be kept under observation and care for three to four days, so space is a major requirement. We are working on expanding the available facilities." He said.
He said the corporation was also planning dog shelters at suitable locations and had already spent around Rs 50 lakh on its existing vehicle-related arrangements, while a proposal for an additional expansion at an estimated cost of around Rs 20 lakh had also been discussed in corporation meetings.
The Animal Husbandry Department is also being involved in the programme, while the Municipal Corporation is seeking additional manpower and medical support to deal with the growing challenge of dog bites and animal population management.
Chauhan said the civic body would also place before the Himachal Pradesh High Court the practical difficulties faced in managing aggressive dogs, conducting sterilisation and providing adequate post-operative space.
"There are many challenges, including the availability of space for doctors, operating dogs and keeping them after surgery. We will place these issues before the court and explain the difficulties faced by the Municipal Corporation in dealing with aggressive dogs and carrying out sterilisation."Chauhan added further.
He also appealed to dog lovers and people feeding stray animals to ensure that feeding was undertaken responsibly and did not create problems for residents, particularly at night.
The Mayor said the Municipal Corporation would continue working on vaccination, sterilisation, dog shelters and other measures to address the issue in coordination with volunteers, NGOs and the Animal Husbandry Department.

The ongoing campaign is aimed at achieving broad vaccination coverage in Shimla while simultaneously strengthening the city's long-term strategy for rabies prevention, stray dog population management and animal birth control.