Poonch : Under the dynamic leadership of District Development Commissioner, Yasin M. Choudhary, the first-ever Animal Birth Control and Anti-Rabies (ABC-AR) programme was launched in Poonch Town on Saturday.
The initiative, being conducted in collaboration with NGO Friendecos-Seca, renowned for their expertise in sterilizing stray dogs, witnessed active involvement of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Poonch, Animal Husbandry Department, and the Municipality staff.
The launch event was attended by President Municipal Council Poonch, Sunil Sharma; Additional Deputy Commissioner Poonch, Tahir Mustafa Malik; Tehsildar Haveli, Anjum Bashir Khan Khattak; Chief Animal Husbandry Officer, Dr. S.M Younis; CEO Municipality; Mohd. Yaqoob, Naib Tehsildar, Maroof Khan; Chairman Pirpanchal Human Rights Organization (NGO), Adv. Mohd. Zaman, Animal Activist, Adv. Banu Partap besides Councillors and a dedicated teams of doctors and staff members .
The Deputy Commissioner highlighted the significance of the Animal Birth Control and Anti-Rabies vaccine (ABC-AR) programme as the sole approved and humane method of controlling the stray dog population.
The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), the apex advisory body, has played a pivotal role in successfully implementing the programme nationwide.
Speaking on the occasion, President Municipal Council, Sunil Sharma, highlighted the importance of this initiative in reducing the stray dog population and consequently minimizing dog bite incidents in the community. Advocate Mohammad Zaman and Advocate Banu Partap also expressed their appreciation for the efforts undertaken by the District Administration Poonch.
The successful implementation of the ABC-AR programme in District Poonch is expected to yield significant benefits, including a considerable reduction in the stray dog population. This, in turn, will contribute to the prevention of dog bites and human rabies cases in the region.
The District Administration Poonch has received widespread acclaim from people across all walks of life for their proactive measures in addressing this pressing issue.
