School meals in Sobral improve animal welfare, climate impact and health for 35,000 students
Humane Society International / Global
reproduction/City Hall of Sobral
SOBRAL, Brazil—An agreement signed by the Municipality of Sobral, in collaboration with Humane Society International and Mercy for Animals’ Alimentação Consciente Brasil program, will bring healthier and more climate-friendly food to almost 35,000 students attending the city’s public schools while improving the welfare of animals. Lectures on nutrition and plant-based culinary training sessions delivered in late Augustkick-started the implementation of the program.
The initiative seeks to replace 20% of ingredients from animals with vegetables, legumes, grains and fruits in more than 2.3 million meals every year. Teams from Humane Society International and Alimentação Consciente Brasil will train municipal kitchen teams in plant-based cuisine and will share knowledge with school education coordinators about the positive nutritional and environmental principles of making small changes to diets.
Food systems with high intake of animal products have been reported to increase health problems such as obesity, diabetes and cancer. Further, animal agriculture globally is a leading driver of climate change and is directly linked to serious environmental problems such as deforestation and excessive use of water.
The agreement is the result of the city’s participation in the first edition of the Urban Laboratory of Food Public Policies, organized by Instituto Comida do Amanhã and Local Governments for Sustainability, with institutional support from Alimentação Consciente Brasil and Humane Society International.
“We believe that food policies drive sustainable development, can contribute to the regeneration of the planet and also to the health of people in the present, as well as future generations,” comments Alice Martins, senior manager of food policies at Alimentação Consciente Brasil.
In Brazil, about 70% of grains are fed to farmed animals instead of people, a sobering statistic when many in the world face hunger and food insecurity. Indeed, the farm animal production sector is the single largest anthropogenic user of land globally, with meat, egg, dairy and aquaculture production systems using approximately 83% of the world’s farmland while providing just 37% of the world’s protein and 18% of calories. Animal agriculture is also a major contributor to the climate crisis, responsible for at least 16.5% of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. By changing our food system and consumption habits we can significantly reduce the environmental impact of our food system while also providing adequate nutrition.
“Several municipalities, food service companies, and public and private institutions around the world have implemented similar programs as a means to promote more resilient food systems that align with global commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also improving animal welfare,” says Thayana Oliveira, food policy manager at the Humane Society International.
The sustainability assessment conducted by Alimentação Consciente Brasil and Humane Society International estimates that this agreement, which the participants signed in April 2022, will:
Spare 4,200 tons of soy no longer destined for livestock, which is enough to feed about 50,000 adults for one year.
Preserve 1,400 hectares of land, the equivalent of 800 football fields.
Save 22 million liters of water, the equivalent to more than 160,000 showers of 15-minutes.
Reduce 5,000 tons of CO2eq emission, the equivalent of driving a car for 40 million km.
“With this agreement the city of Sobral, recognized as the education capital of Brazil, is taking leadership in advancing public health and sustainability through school meals,” says Francisco Herbert Lima Vasconcelos, secretary of education of the municipality of Sobral.
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Media contact: Thayana Oliveira Soares, food policy manager for HSI in Brazil, toliveira@hsi.org ; (31) 98484-4890
Humane Society International / Europe
Sign the ECI petition to demand an EU ban on fur farming and import of fur products
Two women find their beloved pets among 150 cats saved by police and animal activists; 29 sparrows set free
Humane Society International / Global
HSI.
BEIJING—Members of a criminal gang in the city of Jinan, in east China’s Shandong province, have been arrested by local police for using live-caught sparrows to lure cats who they sold to the meat trade, according to the Chinese animal protection group Vshine. Thirty one sparrows–a protected species in China–were retrieved at the scene along with seven cages crammed with 148 cats who had been captured by the thieves; two kittens were born post-rescue. Jinan Zhuang Qiu District Police Office also found the gang’s fleet of mopeds fitted with cages for collecting captured cats, and reported that the thieves caught curious local pet and community cats by placing the flapping and chirping sparrows inside a wire bag within a remote controlled trap.
Although China has no national animal protection laws with which to prosecute the gang for cruelty to the cats, Chinese law generally prohibits possession of protected sparrows and given that two local Jinan residents identified their stolen pets among the caged cats, the individuals who were arrested may also be charged with violating laws prohibiting property theft.
Mr Huang from Vshine, who was at the scene, said: “We had been tracking this gang of cat thieves and traders for a while and finally found the place they stored all the cats they stole from the streets. These poor animals were tightly crammed together in rusty cages waiting to be shipped off to south China to be killed for meat. It was shocking to see the state they were in, many of them emaciated and crying out. Our discovery of dozens of live sparrows used as bait to lure the cats was also a big shock, but shows the lengths these ruthless traders will go to. We are really grateful that the local Jinan police accompanied us on the rescue and detained the cat traders. Although sadly the men responsible won’t face charges for the suffering they caused the cats, we are pleased to see the police increasingly using other laws at their disposal to crack down on this cruel trade.”
The cats are now being cared for by Jinan activists and local shelter groups. Vshine will also look after some of the cats at their shelters in northern China, which are partially funded by global animal protection organisation Humane Society International, which campaigns across Asia for an end to the dog and cat meat trades.
Peter Li, HSI China policy specialist, said: “These cat thieves were using quite sophisticated techniques to catch cats for the meat trade—baiting traps with sparrows, using remote controlled electronic devices to close the cages after catching a cat, and moving around the city on motorcycles to transport cats to the holding depot. This sparrow method is mostly used in urban communities where cat lovers feed as well as spay and neuter roaming community cats. Unlike neglected and hungry street cats who can be caught with fish or meat, these cats are well fed but would have been attracted by the flapping birds. We don’t how long these poor cats had been caged up without food or water in China’s extremely hot weather, but had it not been for the police and rescuers, they would have gone on to suffer even more being driven for miles across China to be killed in markets and slaughterhouses in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces in south-west China to satisfy a dwindling number of people who consume their meat. These are China’s two main cat meat eating hotspots. Throughout the rest of mainland China, cat meat is not part of the food culture at all.”
The 29 sparrows who survived were released back into the wild. Once the cats have received immediate veterinary care, the shelters will determine the options for adoption. They will also appeal for owners of missing cats to come forward for further possible reunions. The street cats, who would not adapt well to longer term shelter care or home adoption, will be released back to community carers.
Facts:
Most people in China don’t eat dogs and cats. In fact they are only eaten infrequently by a small percentage of the Chinese population. Even so, it is estimated that as many as four million cats a year could be killed for the meat trade.
In 2020, two major cities in mainland China–Shenzhen and Zhuhai–banned the consumption of dog and cat meat, a decision polling of 378 million people in mainland China by news site ifeng.com shows is supported by nearly 75% of Chinese citizens.
Sparrows are protected by China‘s 2000 State Protected Wildlife List of Animals of Important Economic and Scientific Research Value, items 634 and 635.
Media contact: Wendy Higgins, Humane Society International director of international media, whiggins@hsi.org
The organization, along with independent rescuers and local and state government, will conduct two types of surveys in the streets of Aguascalientes
Humane Society International / Mexico
HSI Global
AGUASCALIENTES, Mexico—Mexico’s first ever dog and cat survey will be conducted in the city of Aguascalientes, coordinated by animal protection organization Humane Society International/Mexico, A.C.
Starting August 15, a team of volunteers from local associations, independent rescuers, university students and state and municipal authorities will conduct a count of free-roaming dogs in the Aguascalientes area and surrounding communities. The census will also include house-to-house surveys. The data gathered will provide evidence-based insights to help stakeholders better understand cultural attitudes and behaviors toward both dogs and cats in Aguascalientes. The focus is to better support the needs of both the animal and human inhabitants of the area and promote harmonious interaction and coexistence.
“This is an effort that is unprecedented in all of Mexico. Having accurate dog and cat population counts and understanding the attitude and behavior of dog and cat owners is essential so that the authorities, academia, organizations and citizens can design and agree on impact-driven projects that improve the lives of animals and people alike,” said Felipe Márquez, animal cruelty program manager of Humane Society International/México, A.C.
As the population of owned and free-roaming dogs and cats increases, resources can become scarce, increasing the number of dogs and cats who do not get their needs met in terms of food, nutrition or veterinary care. This can result in poor health and welfare and increase the risk that these animals may carry diseases that could impact other animals and people. The innovative assessment, monitoring and evaluation component of HSI’s work is based on the One Health concept, which recognizes that human health, animal health and environmental health are interdependent.
The household surveys will be conducted according to a specially designed methodology and are completely voluntary, with no personal data collected.
The participation of the community is welcomed and appreciated as teams will be randomly surveying households in various neighborhoods. For more information, or to help, contact Felipe Marquez at fmarquez@hsi.org
Give dogs from around the world a second chance at life in Canada
Humane Society International / Global
Show world leaders there is support for a transition toward a more resilient plant-centric food system.
Humane Society International / Global
HSI
HO CHI MINH CITY, Viet Nam—Yesterday, Humane Society International and the National Agriculture Extension Center of Vietnam hosted “Animal welfare in food supply chains: from commitment to implementation.” The corporate roundtable highlighted the need for improving farm animal welfare policy and practices and how the collaboration between stakeholders throughout the supply chain can help with implementation of corporate animal welfare policy. This in-person event follows a series of virtual webinars hosted over the past two years.
Nearly 60 attendees, including experts from the hospitality sector, food processors and retailers, egg and pork producers, government officials and academics, gathered in Ho Chi Minh City. Participants discussed the importance of obtaining animal welfare expertise to help educate and align acrosss teams, the value of direct engagement with suppliers and how government can support the transition from cages and crates to more humane, higher-welfare housing systems and other topics.
Speakers from multinational corporations including Marriott Hotels and Mondelez International shared their animal welfare commitments and why the commitments are so crucial to their companies, as well as their plan for implementing those commitments.
The Vietnamese producer V.Food showcased their cage-free egg facilities, which provide hens space to move, dustbathe, nest and forage. V.Food began their journey last year in response to the growing demand for cage-free eggs in Vietnam. Representatives of Nguyen Khoi Farm, a pork producer in the midst of transitioning to group-housing, spoke about their decision to stop using gestation crates and communicating that to consumers through their label.
Dr. Ha Thuy Hanh, deputy director of the National Agriculture Extension Center, said in the opening speech: “Farm animal welfare is one of the core programs that the Vietnam government has prioritized, as it is growing around the globe. As a representative from Vietnam government, I’m very delighted to see the level of commitment by the food industry to higher animal welfare, and the pioneering producers who are supporting them to address the welfare of farm animals. NAEC is committed to collaborate further with HSI to provide support to producers and other stakeholders.”
Hang Le, Southeast Asia manager for HSI’s farm animal welfare program, stated, “We are pleased with the positive feedback we received from this event and look forward to continuing to foster open dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders in the country to improve the welfare of animals on farms.”
HSI animal science and policy experts covered animal welfare science and its importance, as well as the tools and assistance they can provide to support companies and producers as they transition. Dr. Saravanakumar Pillai, HSI’s senior advisor on animal welfare briefed attendees on the cage-free progress in Malaysia and how it could be applied to Viet Nam.
Around the world, every year, more than 6 billion hens and an estimated 75 million sows are confined in cages and crates so small that they are unable to engage in important natural behavior, including walking or stretching their limbs. These animals suffer tremendously as a result of spending nearly their entire lives in such physically and behaviorally restricted conditions.
Animal welfare is a corporate social responsibility issue for companies in Viet Nam resulting in a major shift in the country’s food industry towards more ethical sourcing of animal products. Dozens of food industry leaders in Viet Nam, including Mondelez International, Marriott International, Unilever, Fusion, 4P’s and Accor, have committed to sourcing exclusively cage-free eggs in their supply chains.
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Reference in this article to any specific commercial product or service, or the use of any brand, trade, firm or corporation name is for the information of the public only, and does not constitute or imply endorsement by HSI or any of its affiliates of the product or service, or its producer or provider, and should not be construed or relied upon, under any circumstances, by implication or otherwise, as investment advice.
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Media contacts:
Hang Le, manager in corporate and supplier engagement for the farm department at HSI: hanglt@hsi.org;
Ricky Gervais, Joanna Lumley and Paul O’Grady support call for commitment to vital animal welfare improvements
Humane Society International / United Kingdom
Byrdyak/istock
London—In the month of the bicentenary of the UK’s first ever animal protection law—Martin’s Act of 22nd July 1822—some of the UK’s leading animal charities are joined by Larry the Downing Street cat (@Number10Cat) and celebrities including Ricky Gervais, Dame Joanna Lumley and Paul O’Grady to urge Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak to pass and strengthen more laws to protect animals from suffering if they become the country’s next Prime Minister.
In an open letter to the Conservative leadership contenders, the CEOs of the RSPCA, Humane Society International/UK, FOUR PAWS UK and others, ask Truss and Sunak for their public commitment to deliver on the promises the Government made in its 2021 Action Plan for Animal Welfare, only four of which have so far been delivered. Thousands of members of the public have also emailed the leadership candidates over the last few days, calling on them to support animal welfare issues.
Sunak and Truss have been asked to go public on three specific commitments:
Pass the Kept Animals Bill, delivering on manifesto commitments to end live animal exports for fattening and slaughter; introduce new laws to tackle low welfare puppy imports and pet abduction; and restrict the keeping of primates as pets, amongst other measures—the Kept Animals Bill has not been given Parliamentary time since November last year.
Progress legislation to protect the welfare of animals abroad suffering for the UK market, including bans on imports of hunting trophies, fur and foie gras, and the advertising of low welfare tourism activities overseas. These bans were derailed by dissenters in Boris Johnson’s cabinet in recent months.
Strengthen existing legislation to: introduce compulsory cat microchipping; phase out use of cages in farming; prevent inhumane trapping and killing of wildlife (e.g. banning snares and expediting an end to the badger cull); and strengthen and extend the current laws on hunting with dogs.
The letter welcomes the Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto statement that ‘high standards of animal welfare are one of the hallmarks of a civilised society’ and asks: “Animals need a Prime Minister whose government will give them the legal protections they need and deserve, as sentient beings. Will you pledge such protections as part of your leadership campaign?”
A spokesperson for the group of animal protection NGOs said: “In the year where the sentience of animals has finally been enshrined in law, we must not lose this dedication to better animal welfare in the UK. Animals matter to voters of all political persuasions, including the 72% of Conservative voters who want more and stronger laws to protect animals. Ministers are constantly claiming that the UK is a world leader on animal welfare, so we’re calling on Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to set out exactly what they’ll deliver to justify that title. Showing compassion and ambition to protect vulnerable animals could tell us a lot about the sort of leader they might be.”
National polling carried out in April 2022 showed that British voters want to see the government follow through on its promise to protect animals, with 72% of respondents—and 71% of those who voted Conservative in the last general election—stating they would like the government to pass more laws designed to improve animal welfare and protect animals from cruelty.*
Read the open letter and view the full list of signatories.
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Notes:
*Polling was run on the Focaldata platform. Data was collected from a nationally representative sample of 10,018 adults between 11th and 20th April 2022.
Animal protection & conservation NGOs unveil plaque in Brighton’s Hilton Metropole Hotel where historic whaling ban was agreed in 1982
Humane Society International / United Kingdom
Nature Picture Library/Alamy
United Kingdom—The 40th anniversary of the global ban on commercial whaling has been marked today, with a plaque unveiled to hail one of the most significant conservation victories of all time.
Almost three million whales were killed for their oil and meat in the 20th century, bringing many species and populations to the brink of extinction. In July 1982, member countries of the IWC held an historic meeting at the Metropole Hotel in Brighton and agreed a global ban on commercial whaling, which remains in place today.
A recent £300,000 funding award to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) from the UK Government is supporting its vital whale conservation and welfare work around the world, addressing significant threats such as bycatch and climate change. This funding is also supporting the participation of developing countries in IWC meetings, ensuring that decisions are representative of all members. This financial support will help to enable the IWC to continue with its excellent work providing an international framework for the conservation and management of cetaceans.
To commemorate the anniversary a permanent memorial plaque was unveiled at the Hilton Metropole Hotel, at a reception attended by past and present members of the IWC, dignitaries and local Members of Parliament. Caroline Lucas MP opened speeches, pledging her ongoing commitment to vital conservation efforts. The event was co-hosted by leading animal protection charities working on the IWC, including the UK representatives of the Animal Welfare Institute, Born Free Foundation, Environmental Investigation Agency, Greenpeace, Humane Society International/UK, IFAW, OceanCare, ORCA, and Whale and Dolphin Conservation.
International Environment Minister Zac Goldsmith said: “The moratorium on commercial whaling led the way four decades ago and remains one of the clearest demonstrations that conservation action works, moving from a bleak outlook where nearly 3 million whales were killed in the 20th century, to one where whale populations are coming back from the brink of extinction. The work of the IWC has been instrumental, bringing together global partners to deliver the science, conservation and management to support these majestic marine mammals, and the UK is proud to lend our full support to this work, including to uphold this vital moratorium.”
Without doubt the ban on commercial whaling has spared the lives of hundreds of thousands of whales and been instrumental in pulling many species and populations back from the brink of extinction — although some have never recovered.
Beyond whaling, whales still face many threats caused by human activities including fisheries bycatch; chemical, plastic and noise pollution; ship strikes; habitat loss and the urgent climate crisis. Of the 90 species, 12 subspecies and 28 subpopulations of cetaceans that have been identified and assessed to date, 22 are listed as ‘Critically Endangered’, 22 as ‘Endangered’ and 16 as ‘Vulnerable’.
Originally established in 1946 to conserve whales in order to manage whaling, the IWC has since evolved to address myriad anthropogenic threats, such as fisheries bycatch, that are estimated to kill hundreds of thousands of cetaceans a year. The IWC is now central to global cetacean conservation and welfare efforts, including overseeing regional efforts to prevent entanglement and vessel strikes, and advancing the scientific understanding of cetacean sentience and suffering. The UK’s funding therefore comes as a huge boost to global efforts to protect these ocean giants for generations to come.
Sue Fisher, acting marine policy director for the Animal Welfare Institute, observed: “Forty years ago, members of the public protesting outside this hotel and around the world convinced their governments to ‘save the whales’. Today they face new perils from our degraded oceans. We commend the United Kingdom for its commitment to ensuring that the IWC can do its vital work to save the whales again.”
Claire Bass, executive director of Humane Society International/UK, said: “Whales face an uncertain future in our degraded oceans, but there can be no doubt that the global ban on commercial whaling has saved many species from the brink of extinction. The ban’s 40-year anniversary is therefore a timely reminder of what can be achieved and should serve to strengthen our resolve to strive for even greater action against threats such as entanglements and pollution. The UK government’s funding for and renewed commitment to the vital work of the International Whaling Commission is a very welcome boost that will support international efforts for years to come to ensure the recovery of cetacean populations and the welfare of these astonishing ocean giants.”
Lucy Babey, ORCA’s head of science & conservation, and marine mammal chair at Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: “The IWC moratorium on commercial whaling was one of the biggest single conservation measures ever introduced, and its legacy resonates even today. To celebrate this milestone is a privilege that I know everyone involved feels lucky to be a part of, and we are delighted that the UK Government has decided to reaffirm its commitment to the IWC to ensure the legacy of this momentous decision is safeguarded for years to come. Future generations can look back on this watershed moment and see a time when people who cared about the ocean came together and did something special, and in that spirit we are proud to have been a part of marking this occasion.”
Sharon Livermore, IFAW marine conservation director, commented: “To this day, the global commercial whaling ban remains one of the most iconic and important conservation achievements of all time. But there is still much work to do to protect whales and dolphins from the many other threats they face; the International Whaling Commission is central to that work, so this new UK government funding is very timely.”
Mark Simmonds OBE, director of science for OceanCare, said: “Historically, the whales had been viewed as huge swimming barrels of oil, blubber and meat, ripe for the plundering. By 1982, when the moratorium was agreed, they were much better known, the grace and grandeur of these social mammals had been revealed by ground-breaking underwater cinematography, and we were increasingly concerned about the cruelty of whaling. And now, forty years on, we know so much more! New species and populations have been discovered and we also recognize cultural units with unique behaviours, and we are also busy exploring the contributions that the whales make to keeping our essential marine ecosystems healthy. Now is the time to make the moratorium complete and for all commercial whaling to end.”
Vanessa Tossenberger, Whale and Dolphin Conservation policy director, commented: “Working towards the recovery of whale populations is part of a nature-based solution to the climate and biodiversity crises. We appreciate that the IWC is leading efforts to better understand whales and their impact on ecosystem functioning. For this work to be successful, the IWC must urgently strengthen protections for cetaceans from the many risks they are facing and ensure the moratorium on commercial whaling stays firmly in place and is fully adhered to by all IWC members.”
Clare Perry, Environmental Investigation Agency UK senior advisor on ocean campaign said: “The ban on whaling has already saved the great whales from certain extinction and today it has an even more important role to play in securing the future of all whales, dolphins and porpoises from mounting threats including hunting, pollution, climate change and bycatch.”
Fast facts:
In the 20th century, commercial whalers killed 2,894,094 whales, including 874,068 fin whales and 761,523 sperm whales. At the peak of their operations, commercial whalers were killing an average of 70,000 whales a year.
The IWC’s commercial whaling ban was agreed in 1982 in a 25:7 vote, and came into effect worldwide in 1986. Catches fell to 6,361 that year. There are three countries that currently conduct commercial whaling: Norway, Iceland and Japan.
The degradation of the ocean has accelerated rapidly in recent years, with ocean temperatures warming up to 40% faster on average than the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change previously estimated.
Science estimates that the amount of plastic entering the ocean will increase three-fold between 2016—2040 if urgent action isn’t taken.
Ocean acidification has increased by 26% since pre-industrial times, and global maritime traffic as well as underwater noise levels from shipping, seismic surveys, exploration and military activities, have also significantly intensified.
An estimated 300,000 cetaceans are killed annually as bycatch in fisheries.
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Media contact: Sally Ivens, Humane Society International/UK: sivens@hsi.org
Humane Society International / Global
HSI
Humane Society International has operated successful dog and cat welfare and population management programs around the world for more than a decade. Our Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment (MEIA) work helps us design and customize humane, effective and sustainable solutions to address companion animal welfare issues at a local or national level. Humanely reducing free-roaming dog and cat populations and improving their health and welfare requires locally tailored interventions supported by data and ongoing analysis. Over the years, HSI’s MEIA team has provided support to local animal welfare organizations and governments to integrate effective monitoring and evaluation practices into their programs.
What is MEIA?
Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment (MEIA) is a process of data collection, data analysis and the subsequent explanation of program results and recommendations. MEIA is essential in any dog or cat population management program to:
Design an evidence-based and effective program, ensuring sufficient budget planning and realistic goals, impacts and timelines.
Gain insight and understanding into the community’s knowledge of animal welfare, their attitude towards animals and their practices.
Monitor and evaluate the program with the latest scientific methods.
Determine whether the program achieves set objectives.
Enable program teams to adjust goals and focus based on data/evidence.
Share measurable progress and success data with stakeholders, donors and media.
Identify potential barriers and/or challenges ahead of program implementation.
Types of surveys
Prior to beginning any program to address dog and cat populations, two types of surveys are generally used.
A population survey helps us to understand the size and composition of the roaming dog and cat population and determine a baseline for several impact criteria used to measure progress, such as percentage of lactating female animals, percentage of puppies and health and population density. An accurate dog and cat population estimate helps to determine with more certainty what resources need to be allocated to a program. For example, in Quezon City (QC) in the Philippines, city officials believed there to be 10 dogs per 100 humans. Those figures guided the city’s rabies vaccination campaign, which was not being very effective. Following a collaboration, in which HSI led a dog population survey, HSI determined that there were 20.6 dogs per 100 humans. With the new accurate data, the rabies control program was revised, resulting in significant decline in dog-cat rabies cases and cases of canine mediated rabies in humans being brought down to zero in District 3, Quezon City.
A Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) survey facilitates a more accurate and unbiased understanding of what people in the targeted area know about animals and their welfare, and what they think and do in relation to their coexistence with owned and unowned dogs and cats in their community. It also helps us understand each community’s ability to properly care for their animals, given availability and access—including financial access—to services and information. For example, in La Paz, Bolivia, we recorded an important difference in the ability of households to keep their dogs confined based on the districts where they lived, with one district having most of the dogs, 91.9%, inside the house and another district with only 25.1% of dogs inside the house.
From outside sources, our MEIA team gathers information such as the veterinary capacity in a given area, number of dog bites and rabies cases in humans and number of street animal nuisance complaints to government authorities. In this way, we can determine what programmatic barriers or challenges may exist and what considerations need to be taken prior to and during program implementation.
Monitoring and impact assessment
Subsequent periodic surveys and information gathering provides accurate data to monitor progress, and adjust program needs and strategy, if necessary. In the long term, monitoring helps us to measure the impact of the program on animals and people.
Please visit here for HSI MEIA reports and published papers.
Mobile applications
Given our expertise in the implementation of field work and our need for tools that help us measure the impact and success of our interventions, HSI has developed mobile applications to gather and track data for spay/neuter, catch-neuter-vaccinate-return (CNVR) of dogs and mass vaccination programs.
Spay and neuter program mobile application
HSI currently uses this app to track the data and measure the progress of the catching and sterilizing of dogs (CNVR). It records each dog’s GPS location when caught and creates a map to assist with the release of street dogs to their original location. In addition, the app helps us track the steps between catching and release, such as pre- and post-op care, surgery data, as well as a photograph to identify each dog.
Mass vaccination mobile application
HSI currently uses this app in areas where mass vaccinations campaigns are implemented to monitor rabies vaccinations done in that area and calculate outputs. The app creates geo-fencing to guide vaccination teams, restricts vaccination effort to a desired area, records dog photos and welfare details, records GPS location and produces reports.
Humane Society International is the leading expert on data-driven dog and cat population management.
Please visit here for links to other useful mobile applications for monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment.
