Community Unites on World Rabies Day for Successful Free Vaccination & Awareness Drive at Cubbon Dog Park

BENGALURU, India – September 28, 2025 –

In a significant step towards a rabies-free Bengaluru, a free vaccination drive held today at Cubbon Dog Park successfully vaccinated many pet and park dogs, The event, marked by a collaborative spirit, saw pet parents express great appreciation for the convenient facility, blending essential animal healthcare with community engagement. It also serves as a platform to launch the online petition to push for oral rabies vaccine in India.(www.change.org/OralRabiesVaccine)

The drive was organized by CJMT air the CJ Memorial Trust (in association with FIAPO & Cubbon Park Canines) in partnership with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services (AHVS), Bangalore Urban District. The AHVS team, headed by Dr. Ravi, Asst Director of Bangalore North Taluk, with a 4 member vet team (Dr Pradeep, Dr Sunil , Mallasandra , Dr Ravi and Dr Madhusudhan, Cantonment Vet Hospital) was on-site to administer vaccines and educate attendees on the importance of vaccination and proper management to control rabies.

Adding academic heft to the initiative, Dr Tilak Chandan PhD Scholar ICAR-IVRI with Ms Navya SN & Ms Kavya P on Dr. Isloor’s team, (KVAFSU - CVA- Rabies Diagnostic Lab., WOAH Ref. Lab, Veterinary college, Hebbal) highlighted how rabies is entirely preventable and outlined India's commitment to achieving zero human deaths from rabies by 2030. They detailed the path-breaking work of the rabies lab at the Bangalore Veterinary University, particularly their focus on faster cheaper diagnostics, as well as developing an indigenous oral rabies vaccine. A fascinating demonstration using a microscope showed how the rabies vaccine works and can be identified, making the science accessible to all.

“While rabies is a serious topic, it is crucial to understand that it is completely preventable. The work done by these departments has a dramatic impact on prevention,” said Dr. Kshama , Head of the Department of Veterinary Medicine KVAFSU, who also discussed the critical role of community awareness and quick identification of the disease.

Priya Chetty-Rajagopal, Trustee of CJMT, spoke about various initiatives to combat rabies, including the Blr Bbmp CARE rabies helpline for quicker municipal response. She stressed a key announcement: the launch of an online petition (www.change.org/OralRabiesVaccine ) advocating for the development and official launch of oral rabies vaccination in India.

“This could be a game-changer, enabling faster, less expensive, and operationally easier dissemination of the vaccine,” said Chetty-Rajagopal. “It has been successful internationally, and with Bangalore already pioneering research—potentially two years from launch—an urgent push by authorities could expand coverage dramatically and potentially reduce rabies deaths by 50%.”

The cheerful atmosphere of the dog park, filled with happy pets and owners, provided a perfect setting for this impactful initiative. The event served as a powerful reminder that prevention is better than cure and that everyone has a role to play as a community. The World Rabies Day motto, “Act Now: You, Me, Community,” resonated deeply throughout the morning. Dedicated CJ Memorial Trust Volunteers Bhavishnu, Nehesh Poll and others encouraged visitors to interact more with the Govt teams

Event Details:

The event “Free Rabies Vaccination Drive at Cubbon Dog Park on World Rabies Day” was held on Sunday, September 28, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 NOON. The drive was open to all pet and community dogs, reinforcing the mission for human safety and a rabies-free Bengaluru through maximum vaccination coverage and responsible pet ownership. The organizers are grateful to the Cubbon Park Horticulture Department for their support.

About CJ Memorial Trust:

CJ Memorial Trust is committed to animal welfare and public health through community-driven initiatives, advocacy, and education, with a focus on creating a safer, healthier environment for all.

A few links and pictures:

• Dr Kshama Orof & HOD Vety Medicine KVAFSU : https://youtube.com/watch?v=0Vus65ZiXxI&si=sDNRBZEz-4CrRA0a

• Dr Tilak Chandan & team https://youtu.be/YBFHxyptwTI?si=q-d1nwN7IUoSQDUH

  
  

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Additional context:

A CJ Memorial Trust View : A holistic approach to Rabies management

TO: All Stakeholders in the National Rabies Elimination Effort

DATE: 22 September 2023

SUBJECT: World Rabies Day 2023: A Unified Countdown to Zero - A Blueprint for a Rabies-Free India

1. Preamble: Our Shared Goal

As we approach World Rabies Day on September 28th, the CJ Memorial Trust calls for a moment of unified reflection and, more importantly, decisive action. Rabies is one of the world’s oldest and most fatal diseases, yet it is 100% preventable. India bears the tragic burden of being the global epicenter of human rabies deaths, accounting for over one-third of the world’s cases, primarily due to the high population of free-roaming dogs and low vaccination coverage.

This is not an insurmountable problem. Nations like Bhutan, many European countries, and parts of the Americas have successfully eliminated dog-mediated human rabies. Their success proves our goal is not a distant dream but an achievable reality. Our mission is clear: Zero Human Rabies Deaths by 2030 and the eventual elimination of rabies in the animal reservoir. This requires a positive, holistic, and collaborative One Health approach where human health, animal health, and environmental welfare are intrinsically linked.

2. The Indian Landscape: Challenges as Opportunities

The challenges are well-known:

· High Density of Free-Roaming Dogs: An estimated 60 million dogs, with a low sterilisation and vaccination rate.

· Logistical Hurdles: Capturing and injectably vaccinating enough dogs to create herd immunity is immensely difficult.

· Awareness Gaps: Lack of public knowledge on post-bite prophylaxis and responsible pet ownership.

· Fragmented Efforts: Multiple stakeholders often work in silos without a unified, nationwide strategy.

We must reframe these challenges as opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and nation-building.

3. A Holistic Framework for Action: The Four Pillars

A successful national programme must be built on four interconnected pillars:

Pillar 1: Mass Animal Vaccination (The Cornerstone)

This is the single most effective strategy to break the transmission cycle.

· Action: Coordinate a massive, synchronized annual vaccination drive across all municipalities.

· Innovation: Aggressively pilot and adopt Oral Rabies Vaccines (ORV). ORV baits can be distributed by trained personnel and volunteers, reaching dogs that are difficult to catch, including in high-risk zones (forest fringes, peri-urban areas). This is a game-changer that complements, not replaces, injectable vaccines.

· Stakeholders: Municipal Authorities, Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), State Animal Husbandry Departments, SPCA networks, NGOs like Mission Rabies and NAPRE, veterinary research institutes (to monitor efficacy and safety).

Pillar 2: Education and Awareness (The Foundation)

Prevention begins with knowledge.

· Action: Integrate rabies awareness into school curricula and launch public service campaigns.

· Innovation: Utilize engaging digital content, partner with social media influencers, and employ community radio. Messages should focus on:

· For Children: "Be kind, but don't touch stray animals without supervision."

· For All: "Wash wound with soap and water for 15 minutes immediately after a bite" and "Always complete the post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) course."

· Reframing the Narrative: Portray dogs not as villains, but as victims of the disease and a part of our urban ecosystem. Coexistence is possible through management.

· Stakeholders: Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Department of Education, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), veterinary professionals, community leaders.

Pillar 3: Accessible Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (The Safety Net)

No one should die from a dog bite.

· Action: Ensure PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) is available, affordable, and accessible at all primary health centres and government hospitals.

· Innovation: Train medical staff on the latest WHO protocols and establish a real-time national database for vaccine stock management to prevent shortages.

· Stakeholders: National & State Health Ministries, WHO India, National Health Mission.

Pillar 4: Scientific Monitoring and Legislation (The Backbone)

Data-driven decisions and supportive policies are crucial for sustainability.

· Action: Implement robust surveillance for rabies cases in both animals and humans. Mandate and fund rabies control as part of every municipality’s mandate.

· Innovation: Use GIS mapping to track vaccination coverage and identify outbreak hotspots for targeted action.

· Stakeholders: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), municipal corporations, law makers.

4. Learning from Global Success Stories

· Bhutan: Achieved rabies-free status in 2022 through a concerted government-led effort, mass dog vaccination (using both injectable and oral vaccines), and strong cross-border collaboration.

· Europe: Widespread use of ORV in wildlife (foxes) eliminated terrestrial rabies. This demonstrates the proven efficacy of the oral vaccine technology.

· Latin America: Reduced human rabies deaths by over 95% through regional political commitment, coordinated dog vaccination campaigns, and public education.

India can easily replicate this success. We have the expertise, the manpower, and the models. What is needed is the political will for a centrally sponsored, nationwide mission that empowers all stakeholders to act in concert.

5. Our Collective Call to Action: Join the Countdown to Zero

The CJ Memorial Trust believes that a rabies-free India is within our grasp. We urge all stakeholders to:

1. Endorse and Implement the Four-Pillar strategy.

2. Collaborate across human health, animal health, and environmental sectors (One Health).

3. Advocate for the inclusion and licensing of Oral Rabies Vaccines in India’s national protocol.

4. Support our nationwide online petition to demonstrate public support for innovative solutions: https://www.change.org/OralRabiesVaccine. This petition is a direct message to our decision-makers to embrace all tools available.

On this World Rabies Day, let us move beyond remembrance and towards resolution. Let us commit to a future where no child, no parent, and no animal has to suffer from this preventable tragedy.

Let us make India rabies-free.

For a harmonious coexistence. For Zero Deaths. For Zero Rabies.

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CJ Memorial Trust

Compassion in Action.