Dharamsala Animal Rescue
We work to end the human/street dog conflict by creating a humane and sustainable environment for animals.
Our mission is to end the human/street dog conflict by creating a humane and sustainable environment for animals with direct benefits to the people of Dharamsala, India.
What do we do?
We provide several key programs to achieve our goals: spay/neuter, rabies vaccination, rescue and adoption, street animal feeding, and community education for rabies safety and compassion.
We are a small but mighty NGO located in the rural village of Rakkar on the outskirts of Dharamshala. We currently have a staff of 14: 1 vet (1 to be hired), an NGO Director, vet assistants, catchers, and office staff.
DAR focuses on five main programs designed to effectively achieve our mission and goals:
ABC/AR (Animal Birth Control/Anti-rabies) - This program is a systematic approach to creating a rabies-free environment and controlling the population of strays humanely, following the ICAM (International Campaign Animal Management coalition).
Street Animal Rescue – This program provides an optimal environment for any small animal needing 24/7 care due to accidents, disease, cruelty, or abandonment.
Street Animal Feeding - During India’s first lockdown due to Covid 19 in April of 2020, the animals living on the street lost their food sources: restaurant leftovers, garbage bins, and leftovers/scraps provided by shops and businesses. DAR convinced the local government to get special passes to groups of people who wanted to feed the dogs and other animals so they did not starve. One family in particular stepped up and today feeds 250 animals per day. As of April 2021, DAR provides the funds needed for food each month. Feeders are a crucial part of our community work. The more humans out there feeding and being kind to street dogs, the easier it is for us to catch dogs for sterilisation, vaccination, and rescue. When the community is daily feeding dogs and animals the suffering is decreased and a bond is formed.
Humane Education and Community Outreach – Our school program, “Animal Buddies,” teaches young children how to be kind to stray dogs even if they are scared of them. It also teaches kids and teachers what to do if they get bit by an unknown dog, so that they are safe from rabies. This program has been on hold due to schools closed because of Covid.
Adoption – We encourage local adoption but all potential families must go through an application process, approval, and follow up.