London based animal charity, The Mayhew Animal Home, also a registered NGO in Afghanistan, has signed a landmark agreement with Kabul City authorities to halt dog culling in the city and introduce an animal welfare strategy incorporating a sustainable and planned rabies vaccination programme combined with a humane dog population control programme.
The groundbreaking agreement was signed on 22 January 2017 by The Mayhew’s Afghanistan Project Manager, Dr. Abdul Jalil Mohammadzai DVM, and dignitaries from the Kabul Municipality: Mr. Abdullah Habibzai, Kabul City Mayor, Mr. Massihullah Mahbob, Deputy Mayor, Ms Fawzia Ahsani, Deputy Ministry of Transport, and Mr. Abdul Tawab Ahmadi, Head of Sanitation.
The agreement means that Kabul Municipality will halt the current practice of poisoning free-roaming dogs in Kabul City and The Mayhew can lead the way for rabies vaccination and prevention, animal welfare initiatives and education in Kabul and Afghanistan.
With the support of the Afghan Government and the city authorities, The Mayhew will work towards implementing a longer term and sustainable solution for rabies prevention and control to more effectively and humanely reduce and stabilise the free-roaming street dog population.
The Mayhew will work alongside Kabul Municipality and other Afghanistan Government sectors and NGOs to deploy a rabies vaccination and Trap Neuter Return (TNR) programme in Kabul City to neuter street dogs.
Caroline Yates, CEO, The Mayhew Animal Home says: “We are delighted that the Kabul Municipality is moving towards a sustainable rabies control programme that will eliminate rabies and save both people’s and dogs lives as well as offer a humane solution to controlling the dog population.
“The Mayhew does not support inhumane methods of controlling the spread of the rabies virus and dog populations and believes that the mass culling of animals, simply to remove them from the streets, is cruel, ineffective and not sustainable. “
“Our NGO presence in Afghanistan gives us a solid foundation from which to launch, manage and expand our proposed programmes.
“Our vision for the humane treatment and improvement in welfare for Afghanistan’s free-roaming dogs combined with an effective rabies prevention programme that will save lives can be achieved by working closely with Afghanistan’s Government, local authorities and organisations.
“This is a major step towards making our vision a reality.”
