The Ministry of Agriculture and Forests led by the Department of Livestock notifies the general public that Dog Population Management and Rabies Control Program will be rolled out in the country in an accelerated mode in joint partnership with De-suung. The main objective of the program is to achieve 100% sterilization coverage of free-roaming dogs in the country within two years.
The Department of Livestock will also be launching a campaign for mandatory registration and digital identification of all the pet dogs through the use of microchip to promote and ensure responsible dog ownership. A door-to-door pet dog census will be conducted before the start of microchipping campaign.
Through this program, intensified vaccination campaigns against rabies shall also be conducted in all the rabies high-risk areas in the country to achieve the global goal of “Zero by 30”; i.e. to eliminate human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.
All sections related to responsible pet ownership and dog population management in the Livestock Act of Bhutan 2001 and Livestock Rules and Regulations of Bhutan 2017; and sections related to habitat control in Waste Prevention and Management Act of Bhutan 2009; Waste Prevention and Management Regulations 2016; Forest and Nature Conservation Rules and Regulations of Bhutan 2017 shall be strictly enforced in collaboration with BAFRA, NECs, DoFPS and Local Authorities to ensure successful implementation of the program.
The program shall be implemented in a phase-wise manner starting from Thimphu. The schedule for door-to-door pet dog census, microchipping of pet dogs and mass sterilization campaign shall be announced shortly.
Issued for information, compliance and necessary public support.
– Department of Livestock
