Ichangu Street Dogs

ICHANGU STREET DOGS is a not-for-profit organisation founded in Belgium in December 2013 to improve the street dogs’ welfare and status in Nepal. The organisation will be used as a tool to help raise funds and get volunteers for projects we will be organising in the Ichangu Narayan VDC (West of Kathmandu). Our vision is to make the street dogs community dogs and our aim is to improve the lives of the 1,500 street dogs and the 24,500 human inhabitants living there, so that they can live together in peace and harmony. We will vaccinate, sterilise and treat street dogs and do an awareness campaign to help the locals gain knowledge in dog care.

OUR FIRST PROJECT WILL BE ORGANISED FROM MID AUGUST 2014 UNTIL NOVEMBER 2014.

The organisation’s aims are:

To improve the welfare of (street) dogs in Nepal (and with a possible extension to Asia), by organising and supporting local projects with (but not limited to) financial resources, material resources and volunteers.

Projects that the organisation will organise and support are projects that improve the welfare of (street)dogs through humane Animal Birth Control, mass vaccinations against rabies, treatment of sick and injured dogs and awareness campaigns addressed to local people on street dog welfare and responsible ownership of (street)dogs.

The welfare of (street) dogs is linked to the “Five freedoms”: freedom from hunger and thirst, freedom from discomfort, freedom from pain, injury or disease, freedom to demonstrate normal behaviour and freedom from fear and discomfort. This translates into preventing cruelty, relieving the suffering of (street) dogs in need and meeting their needs for care and attention.

The organisation’s vision is that of a peaceful coexistence between (street) dogs and people. The local population share the responsibility for the welfare of the dogs that live on their street, so that in effect street dogs become community dogs.

These local projects will focus on a number of areas, but will always use humane methods and the ultimate goal will always be to improve the overall well-being of the (street) dogs:

• Vaccinating (street) dogs against canine diseases and rabies. Research conducted by WHO (World Health Organization) notes that the only way to successfully eradicate rabies in the human population is through the eradication of rabies in the reservoir. In Nepal and throughout Asia, the reservoir is the dog.
• Sterilising the (street) dogs as scientifically based means to effectively reduce and stabilise the street dog population, thus improving health in dog populations.
• Taking care of (street) dogs by building kennels where care is offered, by feeding the (street) dogs and especially by making the local population aware of their duties herein.
• Awareness campaigns (workshops, training, education, information sessions) to educate the public in matters relating to dog welfare and responsible dog ownership.

While executing the project the focus will be on the welfare of the (street) dogs, their place in the community, the welfare of the population and the strengthening of a harmonious bond between dog and man.