There are 200,000 dogs living on the streets of Ahmedabad. Whilst the government has attempted to initiate a sterilization project, this has not been successful as the government hospitals are underdeveloped and government vets are unable to perform sterilizations. For these reasons, ASHA was set up as a non-government organisation working for the street dogs. Many street dogs are victims of human cruelty but also suffer from skin problems, starvation, gastric problems and road accidents. Rabies is also very common, with 35-45 dogs dying every day. This has a large impact on the human community as poorer people are unable to afford the rabies vaccines and so die if bitten. The families of those bitten will often then attack groups of dogs leading to unnecessary suffering of the animals. Sterilization is the only option to control the population.
Catching the street dogs:
The foundation has expert animal catchers who catch the dogs in woolen nets or with soft-looped sticks, both of which are humane methods. The dogs are then transported to the shelter and housed in kennels or temporary folding cages.
About the sterilization procedures:
Jagdish Bhai, a trained nurse with 20 years animal experience, performs the operations. Before the surgery he examines the animals and pre-medicates them with Siquil (Triflupromazine Hydrochloride injection). The dogs are then anaesthetized with I.V. Thiopentone or occasionally Diazepam and Ketamine.
Before surgery, all instruments are sterilized in an autoclave and dogs are cleaned and shaven. The male castration takes around 20 minutes and the bitch sterilization (tube-tying) takes around 30 minutes.
After surgery, Meloxicam is given for pain-relief. The dogs also receive antibiotics: usually Ceftriaxone. Male dogs are kept in the kennels for 2-3 days and females for 3-4. Before being released they are given an anti-rabies vaccine and their ears are cut to mark which dogs have been sterilized.
kindly see http://www.ashafoundationindia.org/
