On World Rabies Day, Delhi Veterinary Association vaccinated over 500 pet and stray animals.

Mahesh Dhoundiyal - Delhi

In a remarkable display of community spirit and dedication towards animal welfare, the Delhi Veterinary Association (DVA), in collaboration with the Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Delhi, organised two free anti-rabies vaccination camps at two government veterinary hospitals. Under this initiative, over 500 pet and stray dogs and cats were successfully vaccinated. The initiative was taken as part of the global celebration of World Rabies Day, aimed at spreading awareness about this deadly disease and promoting preventive measures.

These vaccination camps were organised from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Government Veterinary Hospitals in Masoodpur and Palam. The initiative was made possible with the support of several organisations, including the Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Delhi; Municipal Corporation of Delhi; Central Government; Indian Veterinary Association, New Delhi; Pet Practitioners Association, Delhi; Small Animal Veterinary Association, Delhi; Canis Welfare Club; and Sonari Trust. Dr. Neeraj Bhargava, Dr. Swapnil Jagtap and Dr. R. Saravanan directed the event, with significant support from DVA President Dr. Vijay Kumar and General Secretary Dr. Rahul M. Pawar. Together, they provided free health checkups in addition to vaccinations, educating pet owners and the public on the symptoms, prevention and control measures of rabies.

The executive members of DVA also made their presence felt and contributed to the success of the event, with prominent members such as Dr. Rajiv Khosla (Patron), Dr. Yashpal Singh and Dr. Abhay Triguna (Vice Presidents), Dr. Ubed Khan (Treasurer) and executive committee members Dr. Purushottam Kumar, Dr. Keshav Kumar Sharma, Dr. Sunil Kumar Singh, Dr. Vinay Kumar Chaudhary, Dr. Abhishek Sharma and Dr. Sunil Kumar Chaudhary actively participating. Other notables present at the event included Dr. Nitant V. Paunikar (Deputy Director) and Dr. Satvir Singh (Deputy Director). Dr. K.K. Bansal, Dr. Sudha Kumari, Dr. Geeta, Dr. Rekha Kumari, Dr. Malay Vishwakarma, Dr. G.D. Bhati and Dr. Swapnil Rodge from the Animal Husbandry Department, along with several veterinarians from Delhi, also supported the event. Dr. Vijay Kumar emphasized, “Rabies is a treatable but life-threatening disease. Through initiatives like today’s vaccination camp, we aim to eliminate rabies from our community and promote responsible pet ownership.”

With over three decades of dedicated veterinary services and working towards the welfare of stray animals, DVA highlighted the importance of collaboration between veterinarians, government bodies, and animal welfare organizations working on public health issues.