On Wednesday, September 28, World Rabies Day was celebrated at Tibet Charity India. Dr. H. R. Sankhyan – Deputy Director, State Animal Husbandry Department, was the chief guest at the ceremony. Also in attendance were Mr. Sonam Topgyal la, ex-Kalon Tripa and the current Chairman of Tibet Charity, and Dr. Tseten Dorjee la, the chief medical officer of Delek Hospital.

The function started around 10 a.m. with an opening speech by Ms. Rinzin Wangmo. She welcomed all the guests, students, and others present. After her speech, Mr. Sonam Topgyal la gave a speech in which he said that in Tibetan Buddhism, compassion for animals and all living things is a central tenet. After his speech, Dr. Tseten Dorjee la of Delek Hospital gave a speech. He praised Tibet Charity for the numerous things it does for the benefit of the community. He said that the success of Tibet Charity Vaccination program can be measured from the number of people coming to the hospital with rabid dog bite cases. During the last three years, he said that there has been none. Next, Dr. Sankhyan appreciated good works Tibet Charity continues to do for the welfare of the animals and he promised total support from their side.

Next, the Director highlighted the importance of the occasion and thanked all the sponsors especially Brigitte Bardot Fondation France, local administration, dedicated staff and the public for their support in ensuring the success of our Animal Care Programs. Next, Ms. Yeshey Dolma, concluded the formal function with the vote of thanks.

Tea and cookies were served to everyone present. After the short tea break, there was a Power Point presentation on Rabies by Ms. Namsel, in-charge of the Health Section. After her presentation on rabies, all the dogs, numbering around 150, that were brought to the Tibet Charity House were vaccinated.

Starting from that day, Dr. Malena, a volunteer veterinarian from Denmark along with Mr. Thukje, and other staff members of the Tibet Charity staff will start the10 days’ mass vaccination program for dogs in areas in and around Dharamsala. We hope to vaccinate at least 700 dogs this year.

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Three dogs and six cats were successfully sterilized at Sarah College for Higher Tibetan Studies through the Tibet Charity-India Animal Care Section. Volunteer veterinarians Adrienne Hou and Ailena Baum from the United States performed the surgeries with the assistance of paravets Lobsang Thukjee, Tashi Norbu and helpers Niina Baum and Yeega.

Surgery was performed in the college’s infirmary on human examination tables. Following the procedures, the animals were housed in an outdoor pen and observed for several days. They also received medications for parasite control and anti-rabies vaccinations.

The people at the college have touched Tibet Charity’s veterinary team with the love and care they give to the stray animals – one student constructed a den in her apartment for a mother cat and her litter of kittens. Another resident monk helped coax a cat into a classroom to be captured for sterilization. He later brought milk for the all of the cats in the recovery pen the day after surgery.

Unfortunately, one dog died under anesthesia. She had sustained an automobile injury and was limping slightly. During the surgery, a clot of blood-tinged mucous formed within her airway and she arrested. She could not be resuscitated despite prolonged efforts. Post-mortem examination revealed areas of bruising within the lungs.

Despite this tragedy, the local people worked together with the veterinary team to provide animal care and sterilization, and recognized that to spay and neuter is to reduce suffering, disease, and unnecessary deaths caused by animal overpopulation.

In addition to the people of Sarah College, Tibet Charity- India Animal Care Section would like to extend gratitude to the Brigitte Bradot Fondation France without which the Animal Birth Control camps would not be possible. We are also grateful to the Worldwide Veterinary Service England and Animal SOS Denmark for kindly helping us find volunteers and paying for their accommodation respectively.

We thank the vet team who organized this camp and the staff & the students at Sarah for their wonderful cooperation.

Due to the increasing population of stray dogs in the Khanyara area, the Tibet Charity organized a sterilization and rabies vaccination camp at Khanyara Veterinary Dispensary in May 2011.

camp took place over three days with the first day being dedicated to catching as many dogs as possible. Local people in the area notified us of where there were dogs and even assisted in the capture process! These dogs were kept in overnight before being operated on the next day. In total 15 dogs were sterilized (11 females and 4 males) and given anti-parasitic treatment along with anti-rabies vaccination. To enable observation and to provide medicines following their surgeries these dogs were housed at the dispensary that night and released successfully into the areas they were captured the following day.

Two vets from England (Charlotte Rossor and Lucinda Carr) were assisted by Tibet Charity para-vets Mr. Lobsang Thukjay and Mr. Tashi Norbu and very kindly for half a day by local vet Dr. Sujoy. We would like to thank Dr. Vishna for his hospitality during our time at Khanyara and for allowing the Charity full use of the facilities there.

As in other areas visited, these ABC programmes can only be successful in the long term by repeat visits and the continuing education and good will of the local people.

We would like to thank our sponsors without whose continuing support camps like this would not be possible, particularly Brigitte Bardott Fondation, France and Animal SOS Denmark. Also thanks to the Worldwide Veterinary Service for providing voluntary vets.

The Tibet Charity was kindly invited to Norbulingka between the 5th to the 7th May 2011 to help control the stray dog population in the area. This collaboration between the Tibet Charity and the people of Norbulingka from prior programmes is encouraging for the future in controlling the stray dog population there.

Three volunteer vets from the UK (Louise Golden, Charlotte Rossor and Lucinda Carr) were more than ably assisted by Mr. Lobsang Thukjay and Mr. Tashi Norbu, two para-vets from

Tibet Charity without whose help these camps would not be possible. We were fortunate enough to also have the skilled help of local vet, Dr. Sujoy one afternoon. During our time at Norbulingka 29 animals were sterilised (23 female dogs, 5 male dogs and 1 female cat); these animals and 2 privately owned dogs were vaccinated against rabies.

Our first female dog to be sterilised was also found to have a transmissible venereal tumour (TVT) that will require treatment for the next month with injections. The team very skillfully managed to catch one female dog from the area that has, for the past four years, eluded capture and so has contributed to the increasing stray dog population in the area, a great success! The dogs were mainly found to be in good body condition and recovered well from their procedures. One male dog was found to have an infected skin disease and so was brought back to the clinic in MacLeod Ganj to be treated.

The whole team was made to feel very welcome and we cannot thank everyone involved enough. They not only helped our team in catching dogs but also looked after the dogs and fed them after their operations. They extended all necessary help in ensuring the success of the camp. We hope to continue with our ABC programme in Norbulingka to ensure long term success in maintaining the stray dog population.

The camp continues to be kindly funded by Brigitte Bardot Fondation, France. We thank them profusely for their continuous support in our effort to help the dog population of the region. By keeping the dog population under control and by keeping them healthy, we are also able to ensure a safer place for the people in the region. We would also like to thank Animal SOS Denmark for their continued support and the Worldwide Veterinary Service for providing voluntary vets.

Tibet Charity organized a camp aimed at carrying out Animal Birth Control and Vaccination program for the dogs in Bir from the 23rd to the 30th of March 2011. There is a large stray dog population in this area, many with severe skin problems (often commented on by locals and tourists to us during our stay). There had also been several dog attacks on children both in Bir and the surrounding Tibetan schools and as always rabies is a major concern.


The team consisted of one volunteer vet and the two full time para-vets (Mr. Lobsang Thukjee and Mr. Tashi Norbu) who work at the clinic in Mcleod Ganj. There were also a great number of very friendly volunteers from the local area to help with the catching of dogs, and who couldn’t have been more helpful in the provision of operating and recovery areas, food and ‘chai’ and anything that was required. The hospitality of the locals was second to none. The team was added to on the Sunday by the arrival of Dr. Arvind Sharma (Professor, Veterinary College, Palampur), and two veterinary students who kindly gave up their time and knowledge to assist with the program.


In all 43 dogs were neutered and vaccinated over the week, including one male that they had been unable to

catch for the past 2 years and who was very aggressive and had bitten several people. One small pup was discovered to have a badly fractured leg that was successfully amputated during the camp, with one of the local volunteers kindly fostering the pup for his recovery (not that having only 3 legs seemed to slow him down at all!). Three of the local stray dogs with the most severe skin problems where brought back to the clinic in Mcleod Ganj for further treatment (including one very debilitated puppy) while rabies vaccinations and treatment for some of the other less severely affected skin dogs were left for the local volunteers to administer.


The camp was kindly sponsored by Brigitte Bardot Fondation, France. We thank them profusely for financing our effort to help the dog population of the region. By keeping the dog population under control and by keeping them healthy, we are also able to ensure a safer place for the people in the region. The team would like to thank the people of Bir and its surroundings, not only for being such pleasant hosts, but for their support and interest in animal care and rabies prevention. We also thank Animal SOS Denmark for their continued support and the Worldwide Veterinary Service for providing voluntary vets.

Director attended the 1st conference of the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organization at Chennai (a city in the southern part of India) from 29th to 31st January 2011.

Tibet Charity is much honored to be a part of the India's first national conference for animal protection, which covered everything from street dog sterilization issues to animals farmed for their meat, milk, and eggs. The conference agenda also included sessions to discuss broader issues which have a huge bearing on animal protection such as legislative processes

and law enforcement, working with the media and influencing educators to include humane education in school curricula. This was the first time such a conference was held in India.

The attendees included wide range of people involved in carrying out Animal Care activities all over India. It had MPs, people from the legal fraternities, political leaders, social workers and animal rights activists coming together under a common roof to discuss ways and means to improve the living conditions of the innocent creatures who are being (mis)used by people in the

name of religion, business, medical research and human consumption and that too after inflicting most torturous sufferings upon them.

Tibet Charity is very happy to be a part of such an august gathering for such a wonderful cause. We are very grateful to the organizers for considering us worthy of such an honour.

We pledge to do our best within our capability to lift the conditions of the animals in the region.