Indira Nagar resident vaccinates 200 stray dogs in two-day drive

Earlier, in 2021, Srivastava had conducted a similar drive. She has adopted three dogs and learned how to administer the vaccine from a veterinary doctor.

LUCKNOW In the wake of recent dog attack cases, an Indira Nagar resident, Supriya Srivastava, gave an anti-rabies vaccine to 200 stray dogs in her locality during a two-day vaccination drive. She herself administered the anti-rabies vaccine to the mongrels.

Supriya Srivastava administering anti-rabies vaccine to stray dogs in Indira Nagar. (HT Photo)

“My target was to vaccinate 400 dogs but we were able to administer it to 200 dogs... Anti-rabies vaccine is important for dogs as well as humans because the disease is transmitted through the saliva of the dog. This ailment can spread like fire and may even be fatal in certain cases. It is imperative to vaccinate the dogs that we are feeding and handling,” said Srivastava.

Earlier, in 2021, Srivastava had conducted a similar drive. She has adopted three dogs and learned how to administer the vaccine from a veterinary doctor. “Rabies is a viral disease. If a healthy dog drinks from the same bowl of water that a rabid dog drank, the healthy dog will soon get sick. Children playing with rabies-infected dogs are also prone to risk, and therefore it is far better and safer to get the vaccination done to avoid the risk,” added Srivastava.

She went on to add that while the ‘9 in 1’ dog vaccine -- which immunises against multiple infections and diseases -- is quite expensive, one pipette or a vial of the anti-rabies vaccine is more cost-effective as it can vaccinate ten dogs. “During Covid, I expanded my reach and realised that there are hundreds of dogs that require vaccination and neutering,” said Srivastava.

In her drive, she covered several blocks in Indira Nagar, including sectors 18 and 20, blocks A and B, as well as some slum areas in the locality. Srivastava sponsors the vaccines herself, sometimes with the help of donations, and gets together with a network of feeders from the different blocks to carry out the vaccinations. While a person familiar with the dog is required to hold the dog steady, another can administer the injection, Srivastava explained.

“In my locality, almost 99% of stray dogs are vaccinated now,” she said. When asked about the recent dog attack cases, she said, “Dogs do not get aggressive without a cause. They are the sincerest animals. Many a time they get aggressive when people throw stones at them or beat them.”