Due to poverty, a lack of knowledge and awareness, and the cultural mores of the people, most dogs in Ethiopia are homeless, malnourished, sick, and, in some cases, abused. In Addis Ababa alone there are approximately 200,00 to 250,000 homeless dogs that roam free. These animals have no care and must fend for themselves. Because of the severe lack of available veterinary care, these animals are without benefit of vaccinations or medical treatment of any kind and are responsible for over 500 cases of rabies annually in Addis Ababa alone.

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There is also the very real danger these dogs could spread rabies to many of the endangered species and other endemic wildlife. The risk of rabies to human beings and wildlife is so high that a program designed to vaccinate, spay/neuter, and find foster and permanent homes for these homeless dogs is of paramount importance.

In July of 2007, International Fund for Africa (IFA), working with the Homeless Animal Society of Ethiopia (HAPS) rescued four dogs that had been thrown into the infamous Gido Cave and left to die of starvation and dehydration. (More details at Best Friends.) IFA subsequently petitioned the government to have the cave closed to prevent the further abandonment of dogs to a hideous death in the cave. HAPS with the financial support of the IFA had the cave closed a week later. (For information on IFA’s efforts with other national and international organizations to stop a government program to euthanize stray dogs with strychnine in preparation for the celebration of the millennium in Ethiopia.

Because of a lack of funding, HAPS was unable to keep the rescued dogs and find suitable homes for them. In order to prevent the dogs from being euthanized and to call attention to the plight of homeless animals in Ethiopia and, indeed, throughout Africa, IFA stepped in and brought them to the United States for Adoption. Rescued Dogs update IFA also lent support to HAPS’ educational program. (After May 1, 2008, anyone wishing to donate to HAPS may contact the organization through its web site at Homeless Animal Society of Ethiopia.)

On a subsequent trip to Ethiopia with Gregory Castle, a founding partner of Best Friends Animal Society, the president of IFA, representatives of HAPS, and Mr. Castle met with officials responsible for animal care including the director and staff veterinarians of the Urban Agricultural Department and representatives of the Veterinary Association. Mr. Castle toured the HAPS facilities and various government animal clinics. Based on those meetings and the tours of facilities, Best Friends agreed to provide funding through the IFA for a government vaccination and spay/neuter program. This is in addition to the generous funding given by HSI and IFA.

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The International Fund for Africa is currently working with government organizations and hopes eventually to establish a facility of its own to continue and expand programs and services to

1. Spay/neuter homeless dogs
2. Provide vaccinations for Rabies, Parvovirus, etc.
3. Educate the public on how to better care for dogs
4. Promote foster care and adoption programs
5. Create additional animal clinics and sanctuaries in the city
6. Replicate the program in cities throughout Ethiopia

In October of 2008, Dr Anteneh Roba and Rich Cook, Best Friends Rapid Response Manager traveled to Ethiopia to meet with government officials to move this ambitious project forward. Since the meeting late last spring, there was a real fear that the City Government of Addis Ababa would resort to killing the dogs because they are such a massive problem and the spread of rabies is a real danger.

Instead, they were met with great enthusiasm from the dozen or so representatives of the state and city government with whom they met including members of the Trade and Industry Development Bureau of Addis Ababa, the Ministry of Health and the Ethiopian Institute of Health (which deals with rabies cases), the Ministers of Agriculture and Sanitation, the city’s head of urban development, the Chief of Veterinary Service, and Dr. Tesfaye, who is the liaison for the coalition of The International Fund for Africa, Best Friends and Humane Society International in Addis Ababa.

Dr. Roba gave a presentation in which the success of similar spay/neuter/vaccination programs in the United States and India was demonstrated as the only route to go to solve the dog overpopulation problem. City officials were basically in agreement, and a number of the participants expressed their own personal opposition to the killing of dogs. Mr. Fitsum Arega, head of the Trade and Industry Bureau of Addis Ababa, signed the agreement with International Fund for Africa, Best Friends Animal Protection Society, and Humane Society International, on behalf of the city to launch the spay/neuter/vaccination program.

In March 2009, Dr. Anteneh Roba, founding President of the International Fund for Africa, led a team of 4 veterinarians 3 dog catchers and 4 additional personnel from the Humane Society International and Best Friends Animal Society to Addis Ababa for a two-week training program whose goal was to train 8 to 10 Ethiopian Veterinarians and 10 to 15 dog catchers. The goal was to train them on how to first catch stray dogs in Addis Ababa, then spay/neuter and vaccinate the animals, and then release them. This program is to run for nine months and treat 1200 dogs. The coalition (IFA, HSI and BF) supplied the surgical and medical equipment, and the city provided a newly constructed clinic for the project. A ribbon cutting ceremony and seminar chaired by Mr. Fitsum of the Trade and Industry Development Bureau of Addis Ababa was held to officially open the clinic on March 13, 2009. This ceremony was broadcast on Ethiopian National Radio and Television. That same day a four-hour seminar attended by 60 professionals was held for city vets and officials and also broadcast by the Ethiopian National Radio and Television. Encouraged by our efforts in helping to humanely improve the stray-dog problem, the city plans to build six additional animal clinics. On March 16,2009 the training program was started. The HSI and BF teams stayed for approximately two weeks and a half and half of the HSI team stayed for another week to train the Ethiopian Veterinary Doctors. The training program was a success . Four dog catchers and 6 Ethiopian Veterinary Doctors were trained and continued the project on their own after the team left.

In June 2009, Dr.Anteneh Roba  returned to Addis Ababa to assess the progress of the program,he went to  the clinic and met with the team. He was very happy to see Ethiopian female Vet's performing surgery on dogs without complications. Although the number of dogs they are treating per day has gone down to 5 to 6, the team still feels they will approach the projected total number of dogs needed to be spayed/neutered and vaccinated by end of November.

Dr Roba also met with Mr.Fitsum Aregaye,head of the Trade and Industry Bureau,who is the lead city official running the program, Mr Fitsum informed Dr. Roba that the city has budgeted money for the program after the pilot program is finished and that they are planning to build more clinics in the near future.

International Fund for Africa and the city government have also agreed to mutually come up with brochures that will inform citizens on how to take care of their dogs ,how not to chain them,and how to make sure they get proper exercise,proper nutrition,regular medical checkups and vaccinations.

There still remains a great deal to accomplish, however. You are invited to join us in improving the plight of domestic animals and homeless dogs in Ethiopia. Please make your donation today by clicking on donate. No amount is too small. All gifts are greatly appreciated.