As part of a five-year plan to control the dog population within the Kataragama Pradeshiya Sabha, the Association of Veterinarians for Humane Management of Animal Population has conducted 54 sterilizations and 67 anti-rabies vaccinations so far, officials said.
Dr. Chamith Nanayakkara, Executive Committee Member of the Animal Welfare Coalition (AWC), stated that these figures were recorded on the fourth day of the ongoing drive.
The initiative is being coordinated by the Kataragama Pradeshiya Sabha and the Animal Production and Health Department, with support from the Help a Dog with Vets program.
In addition to sterilizations and vaccinations, the team has carried out 14 other treatments, 20 skin treatments, and three procedures for canine transmissible venereal tumors (TVT).
The five-year pilot project, aimed at improving local animal welfare and controlling the dog population, began on November 14 and will run daily until November 23, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Officials expressed optimism that this collaborative effort will help control the local dog population and contribute to the global goal of eliminating rabies by 2029.
