Over the centuries, Kathmandu valley has evolved into a highly developed urban culture with an impressive heritage of art and architecture. The valley has rapidly urbanized and spread out beyond the confines of the old kingdom towns. Amidst this trend, animal suffering has gone unnoticed and a very little thought has been given to animal welfare.

KAT is changing that with their very successful Animal Birth Control (ABC) program for street dogs. ABC sterilizes each dog, vaccinates for Rabies, and treats any other health issues they find. This is a humane and long-term solution that works much better than poisoning the dogs, which has been the government's method of controlling Rabies and the street dog population for decades. Before KAT's ABC program began, the Metropolitan Council poisoned more than 10,000 dogs a year with strychnine. This is a horrific form of death, throwing dogs into violent seizures for hours before they die.

ABC's statistics. In less than four years:

• 5,388 dogs have been sterilized, vaccinated, and restored to health.
• 55,000 street dogs have not been born in the Kathmandu streets where KAT works.
• 8 rabid dogs were humanely euthanized, thus protecting a large human and animal population from this incurable disease.
• Kathmandu's Metropolitan Council has stopped poisoning dogs in KAT's target areas.
• Community support for humane dog control is strong and continues to grow.
  
  

Above is Sherab, one of the happy beneficiaries of KAT's Rescue and Treatment Program.

KAT's donkey rescue is pictured below. Though they do not have large animal facilities, they could not refuse to help.

Many Kathmandu residents are now aware of KAT’s work and notify KAT of sick, injured or distressed animals. The demand for their programs is increasing day by day in many areas where KAT is still not active.

KAT's Education Program reaches out to Nepal's next generation. So far, they've educated over one thousand children at 37 different schools about compassion for animals.

KAT Centre has a very big challenge ahead and the team is confident of being able to handle the challenges and further expand their activities in the days to come.

KAT receives no government funding and is totally reliant on local and international donors to help the animals.

Indra works as KAT's communications officer. He started this year and is very interested, excited, and enthusiastic to work with KAT towards eliminating animal suffering in Kathmandu. He has a Master's Degree in communication and journalism, and he also teaches journalism at two prominent colleges in the area.

We look forward to your updates, Indra!