STREET DOGS OF PATAN

1. STREET DOGS OF PATAN An Interactive Presentation on the Problem and Solutions of Strays in Lalitpur

2. Introductions... The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

3. Quick Agenda... • Main Program (60 minutes) • Mingle Tea (10) Minutes • About animalNEPAL & Mobile Vet (20) Minutes Total running time: about 11/2 hours The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

4. Street Dogs Discussion • Problems • Solutions The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

5. Problems... • 35,000 stray dogs within Ring Road • Many more outside in rural areas • Many urban strays are discarded pets that have become sick, pregnant and/or are aggressive • They are scavengers that depend on garbage or hand outs to survive, with no medical care whatsoever The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

6. Street Dog Health • It’s hard to find a completely healthy stray dog in Nepal • Most suffer from starvation, disease and maltreatment • Road accidents involving strays dramatically rising as traffic increases The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

7. Street Dog Health • Skin diseases • Parasitic infections • Tumours • Whelping (birth) complications • Other infectious ailments The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

8. Puppy Life on the Street • Puppies have to fend for themselves in a hostile environment • It is estimated that around 75% of all puppies die an untimely death The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

9. The Risks for Humans • Such a large, unhealthy animal population has serious implications for human health • 200+ people die a terrible death from rabies every year in Nepal • An unknown number of people, especially children, beggars, sweepers and vendors receive dog bites that result in complications The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

10. Where is the Love? • Strays are usually regarded as a pest to be exterminated • Strays are shouted at, kicked, hit with stones & hot water, chained and completely ignored when sick The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

11. Strays and the Law • Nepal is one of the few Asian countries without proper animal welfare legislation • Attempts to take legal action against those who are cruel to animals almost always fail • When requested, metropolitan authorities poison dogs with strychnine The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

12. Did you know? • Over the past decade, veterinary care has improved in Nepal dramatically, yet... • There still remains a lack of modern facilities, but lacking even more is the awareness of the benefits of good Veterinary care The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

13. Call to Action! • This complex and serious stray dog problem in Nepal is more than ready for a humane, efficient and long-term solution... The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

14. From Animal People Magazine (US) November, 2003... • “No humane society anywhere should even think about starting a shelter until and unless the numbers of homeless dogs and cats are markedly reduced, and until the public shows increased sympathy and tolerance toward them. Public education can begin with as little as one volunteer sharing knowledge by word-of-mouth. If sterilization and vaccination is properly promoted, and humane education is successful, a community will never need conventional animal control shelters.” The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

15. A Model Project • Kathmandu Animal Treatment Centre (KAT) - a model ABC program • KAT’s goal: reduce the stray dog population by 50 per cent and eliminate rabies from the streets within five years. • KAT already spayed and vaccinated 5000 dogs in the Kathmandu District The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

16. A Vision for Lalitpur • Healthy People • Healthy Dogs • Rabies Free Area The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

17. About Lalitpur... • One of 75 of Nepal’s districts... • Patan (headquarters) covers an area of 385 sq km and has a population of 337,785 people (as of 2001) • Urban Patan is governed by the Lalitpur Sub-Metropolis City (LSMC) with 40,000 households, and divided into 22 wards. • With not a single animal welfare project apart from animalNepal The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

18. And remember... • Some 50,000+ stray dogs live here too! The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

19. A New Partnership has formed... • Lalitpur Sub-Metropolis City (LSMC) • Lalitpur District Development Committee • District Livestock Service Office/ District Veterinary Hospital • animalNEPAL.org • Mobile Veterinary Consultancy Service The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

20. Partners with a plan... • Partnership intends to establish a pilot Animal Birth Control & Anti-Rabies (ABC/AR) program in Lalitpur The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

21. The ABC Plan • Municipal Leaders, Vets, and Animal Welfare workers working together with the public on a grassroots plan to... The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

22. The ABC Plan • Educate all on the humane and scientific means to reduce the stray population • Educate Pet owners re: pet ownership and care • Establish a permanent site for Sterilization and Vaccinations of Strays and Pets The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

23. Expected Outcomes... • Bring the population growth of Strays down to nil • Reductions in rabies, parasitic disease (worms and mange) and incidences of dog bites • Reduced public fear of dogs • Improved animal welfare in domestic as well as farm animals, as skills in animal management and control are improved The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

24. The Next Steps... • Establish special policy at municipality and district level • Introduce a registration program for pet dogs & the monitoring of stray dogs • Educate the community on all these activities • Acquire rabies vaccine (to deliver free or at reduced rate) • Begin systematic spaying and vaccination of female stray dogs • Build and Staff the Infrastructure! The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

25. How You Can Help... • Sponsor a Kennel • 12 kennels are planned • Sponsors are invited to name the kennel • Construction costs estimated @ NRs 30,000 (US 500) each • Sponsor Other Infrastructure • Medical Operation Theatre • Office Building • Caretaker Residence • Toilets The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

26. How You Can Help... • Donate furniture, medical equipment or other items... • Furniture, computer, pet toys, bedding, etc will be warmly welcomed and appreciated • Donate funds • Volunteer your time... The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

27. For more information... • Go to www.animalnepal.org/currentprojects.htm • or contact any one of us: • Mandy Lamkin, Advisor, mlamkin@enrichaustralia.com • Dr Bala Ram Thapa, Director MVCS, thapabalaram@hotmail.com • Jiggy Gaton & Lucia de Vries, Animal Nepal, animalnepal@gmail.com The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

28. Questions? The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

29. Mingle Tea Time 10 minutes please Now Playing: Aau Mili Gau from our Rockn’Bark CD The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

30. All About Mobile Vet The Mobile Veterinary Consultancy Service of Lalitpur...

31. Mobile Vet • The Mobile Veterinary Consultancy Service (MVCS) Clinic was established in 1995 • Its aim: to provide effective emergency treatment to animals in Lalitpur District • Specializes in both preventive and curative treatment, which include in-patient and out patient treatment, surgery, vaccination and counselling The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

32. Mobile Vet • Provides 24-hour emergency care • Facilities include Ultrasound, Laboratory, Blood Transfusion Facilities and X-ray • Rehabilitation services for seriously injured dogs that need 24-hour attention • With help from animalNEPAL, emergency treatment of stray animals is being carried out, on the street as well as in-house. The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

33. For more information... • Contact Dr. Bala Ram Thapa • Thapabalaram@hotmail.com • Tel. 5544715 • P.O. Box 6669, Jawakhel (near Zoo), Lalitpur, Nepal The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

34. All About animalNEPAL Everything you always wanted to know about your Animal Welfare Agency in Lalipur...

35. animalNEPAL is... • Registered as an innovative non-profit private company in 2003, is run by an enthusiastic team of Nepalese and overseas animal welfare campaigners and educators • On the web @ www.animalnepal.org The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

36. Our Objectives are... • To initiate and support stray animal community care programmes • To help establish a well-functioning animal health, food and wellbeing industry • To conduct animal welfare education and campaigning throughout the nation. The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

37. Campaigns and Programs • Stop Monkey Business Campaign • Worship Without Cruelty Campaign • Animal Welfare Legislation for Nepal Campaign • Community Stray Animal Program • Patan Rescue Program • Youth Education Program • Dog Obedience Training Programs • Pet Shop Project The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

38. Current Campaigns... • Stop Monkey Business • This campaign opposes the export of Nepalese rhesus monkeys to foreign laboratories in the US. • Worship Without Cruelty • This campaign aims at raising awareness regarding cruelty to animals conducted in the name of culture The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

39. Current Campaigns... • Animal Welfare Legislation for Nepal • AN is actively lobbying for an Act to be finalized and sent to parliament without further delay. The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

40. Programs cont. • Community Stray Animal Programs • Once a year, during Kukhur Puja AN conducts a free dog vaccination and check up program. • This program is organised jointly with the district office of the Department of Livestock Services and Mobile Veterinary Consultancy Service (MVCS). The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

41. Programs cont. • Patan Rescue • This small rescue program enables volunteers to rescue, treat and rehabilitate sick and/or injured community stray dogs. • Volunteers lovingly foster injured dogs at their homes • Medical treatment is provided by MVCS at a discounted rate. When recovered, the dogs are given up for adoption or released at the place from where they were taken. The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

42. Programs cont. • Youth Education Programs • Rock ‘n Bark music CD - including a rock video of the hit song from the CD Au mili Gau (broadcasted internationally), with Au Mili Gau regularly played on several FM stations • A Yahoo email group which enables youth to discuss animal welfare issues • Training for Nepali youth as dog trainers: These trainers now independently provide training for individual pet owners and their dogs. The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

43. Nepal’s First Non-Profit Pet Shop • Opened in 2005 • Provided information as well as products for proper pet care • Closed in 2006 due to political situation The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

44. For more information... • Contact Jigme Gaton or Lucia de Vries • animalnepal@gmail.com • www.animalnepal.com The Street Dogs of Patan: Problems and Solutions

45. Thanks for Coming! All Music and Graphics provided by Phoenix Studios Nepal