About the Ladakh Project
Download the project report
VBB Ladakh 2010
The Leh Street Dog Sterilaisation programme is being run between June and September. If you are interested in volunteering for 2009 program please contact Ruth Pye. This programme is generously sponsored by Foundation Brigitte Bardot.
The Leh Street Dog Sterilisation Programme is a collaboration between a local
non-government organisation, the Ladakh Animal Care Society and Vets Beyond
Borders. The Ladakh Animal Care Society was founded in 2003 by Kunzang Namgyal,
the society strives to promote compassion and has a special concern for the
welfare of stray dogs. The organisation is opposed to culling which is the
standard method employed by the local government to reduce dog numbers.
Beginning in June and working through until late September , volunteer
vets from around the world work with local dog catchers, vet nurses and assistants to surgically sterilize
dogs. Dogs are caught from Leh and surrounding villages and are brought
to the LACS site for sterilization and post operative care. The LACS facilitiy
is located in Sabu which is a small village 7 km by road, to the east of the
capital Leh.
How the project works
Dogs were collected in the early morning by two dog catchers and a truck driver. These roles were filled by Ladakhi locals employed by VBB and partly funded by VBB and the local government. The dog catchers worked in specific areas with an aim to catch all the dogs in that area before moving onto the next area. The programme is thought to have made a significant impact on dog numbers mainly the south and east of Leh Choglmasar, Housing Colony, Main Bazaar and Airport Rd.
Volunteers would arrive at the clinic to find the first group of dogs brought by the dog catchers. A Ladakhi girl called Dolma was instructed in anaesthetic. The clinic would run with 2 tables operating and an average of 15 dogs would be sterialised per day. A priority of VBB is to train local veterinarians and lay staff in the procedures in order that the project can continue functioning without the need for western volunteers.
The story so far ....
- Infrastructure has been built including 4 holding pens and the office was
converted to a surgery with kitchen area.
- The number of volunteers varied from 3 - 8 at any one time. Volunteers
were veterinary surgeons and a vet nurse.
- In 2006; 561 dogs - 310 females and 261 males - were sterilised and released.
- In 2007; 911 dogs ( 468 female, 443 male) were sterilised and the training programme with the local government vets commenced.
- In 2008; 901 dogs (412 female, 489 male) were sterilised and the training programme with the local government vets commenced.
- In 2008; Foundation Brigitte Bardot started to fund the operation of Ladakh Animal Care through the cold hard winter months.
If interested in volunteering in Ladakh please contact Ruth Pye
