Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) initiated a large-scale anti-rabies campaign aimed at neutering and vaccinating stray animals to eliminate rabies from the city. However, the campaign had a sluggish start, with only 15 stray animals receiving vaccines on the first day.
Dr. Sarita Funde, PMC Veterinary Superintendent, acknowledged the slow beginning, attributing it to a lack of manpower. She stated, “While we have kickstarted the anti-rabies campaign, our current manpower is limited. In a single area, we only have three personnel assigned – one doctor and two dog catchers. This shortage of staff has led to the low number of vaccinations. We are fortunate to have support from various NGOs, animal activists, and organizations. Nevertheless, we need more volunteers and individuals to step up and contribute to the success of this anti-rabies campaign.”
According to available information, animal activists have emphasized the necessity for PMC to collaborate with volunteers, particularly those who feed stray animals, to ensure the campaign’s effectiveness.
The campaign was inaugurated in Kharadi around 11 am, where two municipal teams managed to administer the anti-rabies vaccine to seven and eight canines at WTR Kharadi and Thite Vasti, respectively. Each team comprised a doctor and two dogcatchers. The campaign is set to continue until the city is officially declared rabies-free.
As the campaign progresses, it is hoped that the involvement of more volunteers and better coordination will accelerate the vaccination process and ultimately contribute to making Pune a safer and rabies-free environment for both humans and animals.
