paripokhrel
- August 24, 2026
Rabies Vaccination Program in Butwal on National Animal Rights Day 2026
On the occasion of National Animal Rights Day 2026, we conducted a two-day rabies vaccination program in Butwal, where around 125 community dogs across Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City were vaccinated against rabies.
For us, this rabies vaccination program in Butwal was never only about giving vaccines. It was also about creating awareness, understanding the situation of community dogs, and reminding people that their health matters too.
Community dogs are a part of our neighbourhoods and our everyday environment. They share the same streets, spaces, and communities with us, but they cannot tell us when they are sick, injured, or facing a health problem. This is where our responsibility as humans comes in. We need to notice their needs and take their health seriously.
Rabies is not only an animal health issue. It is also connected to public health and the safety of the communities we live in. By vaccinating community dogs and creating awareness among people, we can take an important step towards rabies prevention and a healthier environment for both people and animals.
More Than Just Vaccination
While vaccination was an important part of the program, we also wanted to understand what was actually happening on the ground. We collected data and observed the situation so that we could better understand the challenges faced by community dogs and the communities living alongside them.
For us, this was important because we do not want to keep conducting activities without understanding the actual problem. The information collected during this program can help us plan future vaccination drives, awareness programs, and other animal welfare activities according to the needs of the community.
We wanted to treat, vaccinate, create awareness, collect information, and learn. Sometimes, understanding a problem properly is the first step towards finding a meaningful solution.
A Community Effort
This rabies vaccination program in Butwal was possible because of the support and cooperation of many people and organisations.
We are grateful to Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City, “Pashu Sakha”, for their positive support and cooperation throughout the program. We also appreciate the contribution of Pioneers Animal Hospital and Research Centre Pvt. Ltd. and the students of Deurali Janata Technical Institute, who joined us in this effort.
A special thank you goes to our sponsor, Yashoda Parvati Foundation, for supporting the program, and to all our kind volunteers who gave their time, energy, and care. Programs like this are only possible when people come together with a shared sense of responsibility.
Building a Culture of Coexistence
National Animal Rights Day gave us another reason to reflect on our relationship with animals. Caring for community dogs should not be seen only as an act of kindness. It is also about responsibility and the kind of society we want to create.
Animals cannot speak for themselves, but we can choose to speak through our actions. We can choose to vaccinate, care, educate, and create safer spaces for all living beings.
The Earth is home to every being. If we want the coming generation to understand that humans are not the only ones who belong here, we need to show them how coexistence can work in everyday life.
This two-day rabies vaccination program in Butwal was only one small effort, but it gave us an opportunity to connect animal health, public awareness, data, community responsibility, and coexistence.
Around 125 community dogs vaccinated, awareness created, valuable information collected, and many people brought into the conversation. For us, that is what made the program meaningful.
But this also leaves us with a question: Is rabies vaccination alone enough to keep our community dogs healthy and our communities safe, or do we need to think beyond rabies and provide other vaccinations and regular health care over time? What more can we do to make sure the animals sharing our communities are not forgotten?
