Vets Beyond Borders Australia

Sikkim Anti-Rabies & Animal Health Programme

Volunteers urgently required for August to December 2012

FInd out the latest developments in SARAH's first report for 2012

The state of Sikkim is nestled in the Himalayan foothills of North-Eastern India. Vets Beyond Borders works in partnership with the Government of Sikkim and the Fondation Brigitte Bardot to enable this successful project. This extensive state-wide Animal Birth Control – Anti-Rabies (ABC-AR) programme is now fully funded; however, it still requires the generous and dedicated work of volunteer veterinarians and veterinary nurses to continue.
Since 2005 volunteer veterinarians and veterinary nurses from Australia and overseas, have made the journey to beautiful Sikkim to participate in the program.

The SARAH programme has now been approved as a division of the Sikkim Government. This means that the programme which delivers ABC- AR, public education campaigns and street dog health clinics will continue permanently. This success is due to the dedication and hard work of Drs Ian Douglas, Beth McGennisken, Thinlay Bhutia and Helen Byrnes, and all the SARAH staff. Thank you to Foundation Brigitte Bardot for the funding of this large and expansive programme.

Highlights

• Funding for current financial year approved by programme sponsors, Fondation Brigitte Bardot and the Government of Sikkim
• Administrative changes planned to ensure long-term future of the programme
• Third unit due to commence work in the new Ravangla district street-dog clinic
• Landmark meeting, hosted by Vets Beyond Borders in Gangtok, promises close collaboration between government departments, police, armed forces, local NGO’s and media on animal welfare and public health issues

How the project works

The local staff that VBB work with are invaluable, they are the team members who keep things running as volunteers come and go. They are out at first light catching dogs (the most important job) and then are kept busy all day, being trained in the skills required to prepare the animals for surgery and to clean and pack surgical kits prior to autoclaving.

There is a lot of other work to be done. Community education and public awareness campaigns are vital components of the project. The benefits of a successful, state-wide programme are not limited to the dogs alone. The reduction in the incidence of other zoonotic diseases, such as Scabies, Hookworm and Echinococcosis, also contributes greatly to public health.

Public welfare is improved through effective Rabies prevention, following the creation of a stable, vaccinated, street-dog population. The community attitude to street-dogs is improved as a result of the reduced numbers without the need for violent and distressing culls. The work holds the potential to be of great worth to dog and human populations alike.

VBB’s goal is to be able to hand-over the operation of the project to local veterinarians in three-to-five years.

Summary

The programme continues to extend its activities over an ever larger area of the state. This has been made possible by the appointment of more Sikkimese veterinary personnel, an increased supply of veterinary volunteers provided by Vets Beyond Borders and the acquisition of more plant and equipment, thanks to the generosity of Fondation Brigitte Bardot.

To find out more about the SARAH programme see the
2010/2011 Season Report
2011 End of Season Report..

Volunteering for SARAH

The clinic is in operation yearly from February to June and from September  to December. 

Volunteers Required:  from August to end of 2012

For more information about volunteering for this project please visit Sikkim - Volunteering FAQs and How to get there or find more general volunteering information at Volunteer. If you still can not find the information you require, please contact the SARAH project manager with your question.

Veterinarians and veterinary nurses who are interested in volunteering for this project and have the required minimum of two years experience in basic small animal surgery, please register to volunteer.

To apply to volunteer in a VBB project, you must be a VBB member though please remember this does not guarantee your application to volunteer's success.

BECOME A MEMBER NOW to receive all the benefits of VBB membership!