We feel that education is the way to a better future
Behavior Change
It’s not the street dogs, it’s us.
In a country with more stray dogs than any other (an estimated 62 million), an estimated 1 person dying of rabies every 30 minutes, no national sterilization or vaccination programs, and no education and safety programs, it is no wonder that these conditions would create conflict between humans and street dogs.
Generational fear and hatred of street dogs needs to change so the suffering ends.
We feel that no matter how many dogs you sterilize and vaccinate, if the people still look at the dogs like diseased pets, then nothing will change. This is why Humane Education is the only way forward. Read below to learn about our programs.
Karuna Rural Village Program – My Village is safe and compassionate. No rabies. No dog bites. No cruelty
“Karuna” means Compassion
Many rural villages in India have beliefs that are outdated and are potentially causing more harm than good when it comes to their interactions with stray/community dogs. Our goal is to create a cycle of benefit for both the villages/villagers and the dogs that reside there.
- Common myths you will hear in villages:
- Drinking holy water from a temple will prevent rabies
- Putting kerosene on a dog’s wound will help heal it
- Throwing rock (swinging a stick, bag, etc) s at stray dog will prevent them from biting you
- Female dogs should not be sterilized because it is not “natural.”
Learn more about our cycle of benefit and how gender inequality can affect bite outcomes.
ANIMAL BUDDIES – School Education Program
Educating children on kindness and safety is the only path to a better future for dogs and humans. Indian children learn to fear dogs from a young age and are taught to throw rocks and run – the exact opposite of what you need to do if you do not want a dog to bite you.
Bites in India can be deadly, not because of deep wounds, but because every 30 minutes a human dies of rabies. 50% of that time it is a child.
By teaching children how to safely interact with street dogs, we are not only improving the relationship between dogs and kids, but we are potentially saving a life. Please watch to video to learn more.
We were lucky enough to have a book written specifically for our school program, “Saathi:The Street Dog from Dharamsala.” You can view and purchase a copy here.
Please click here to learn more about our rabies education and prevention.
If you are in Dharamsala or surrounding areas and would like this program at your school, please email info@darescue.org
Dharamsala Animal Rescue relies solely on donations for our work
Thank you so much for caring for our animals and people.
