Canine welfare trust launches drive to eliminate rabies deaths by 2030

The initiative seeks to create awareness among children, teachers, and citizens in preventive measures, immediate wound care, and completion of anti-rabies vaccination schedules after exposure.

PUNE: Aiming to eliminate dog-mediated rabies deaths by 2030, the Canine Control and Care (CCC) Trust, Pune, has launched ‘Zero by Thirty’ (ZBT), an awareness and training initiative focused on rabies prevention, responsible pet ownership, and safe human-dog interaction.

Canine welfare trust launches drive to eliminate rabies deaths by 2030

The CCC Trust, a flagship initiative of Bajaj Auto Limited, which has launched ZBT, has already trained more than 2,500 people across Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, with sessions also being conducted online across India. The initiative seeks to create awareness among children, teachers, and citizens in preventive measures, immediate wound care, and completion of anti-rabies vaccination schedules after exposure.

The PMC data from 2018 till August 2025 suggest 373 suspected rabies cases were reported in 2018, while 19 have been recorded till August in 2025. “Rabies is entirely preventable, yet awareness about the life-saving vaccine remains dangerously low,” said Deepa Bajaj, founder trustee of CCC. “Through Zero by Thirty, we are empowering communities to stay safe around dogs and understand why vaccination - both for humans and animals - is critical.”

Since its inception in 2015, CCC has sterilised and vaccinated over one lakh stray dogs to build herd immunity, which has helped stabilise their population and reduce rabies risk in Pune and surrounding areas.