Prevent cruelty against animals

Mathura, November 17 – The seven-day-long National Training Program on “Animal Birth Control (Awareness on Dog Welfare and Public Health)” concluded yesterday at Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Pashu Chikitsa Vishwavidyalaya Evam Gau-Anusandhan Sansthan (DUVASU), the Course director, training program said.
Vice Chancellor Dr Abhijeet Mitra said Animal Birth Control (ABC) with a focus on dog welfare and public health is essential for humane and scientific management of street dog populations.” This not only helps to prevent uncontrolled breeding but also eliminates the need for cruel practices against dogs. ABC plays a vital role in reducing rabies and other zoonotic diseases, which lowers dog-bite incidents and improves overall public safety as dogs become calmer and less aggressive, he added.

He said ABC also enhances dog welfare by preventing disease, malnutrition, and stress, while promoting responsible human–animal coexistence under the One Health approach, which links animal, human, and environmental health.
“These awareness programmes help prevent cruelty against animals and educate communities on legal protections for animals,” Dr Abhijeet Mitra said. ABC initiatives also build veterinary capacity by training professionals in proper sterilization, handling, and welfare laws and ensuring their ethical implementation. Together, sterilization, vaccination, and awareness create a sustainable, long-term solution for managing street dog populations across the country, he added.
Twenty-five veterinarians from 13 states, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, and Karnataka, participated in this program, which was organised jointly by the Animal Welfare Board of the Government of India and, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India.
Prof D D Singh, Course director, training program said that the training program trained participants on Dog’s Population control and role of stray dogs in communities, Behavioural changes and Shelter management for dogs, Balance diet and feeding methods, Breeding policies, Management of Parasitic infection and dermatitis, Importance of Vaccination and deworming, zoonotic disease with special reference to Rabies and its diagnosis, proper handling care and ethical treatment of dogs surgical and non-surgical sterilization method, legal aspect, welfare laws and reporting mechanism for animal abuse.
As part of the awareness outreach, 55 school students were also sensitized on dog bite prevention, responsible behaviour around animals, and zoonotic diseases, particularly rabies, Prof D D Singh added.