World Photography Day: Healing bonds between humans and dogs
The One Health approach is essential to understanding rabies, as it highlights the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. Accessing veterinary care is not only fundamental for animal welfare, but it also protects people and whole ecosystems. Through administering rabies vaccinations, we are creating a healthier dog population, which helps build healthier communities. Through canine rabies vaccination and education, we are healing the bond between people and animals. We are creating a more harmonious co-existence, where people do not need to fear dogs.
World Photography Day takes place annually on 19th August to celebrate the art, craft, science and history of photography. In this blog, we showcase photos that demonstrate how our rabies elimination programmes are healing the bond between people and dogs, changing attitudes, and protecting lives.
How are we healing the bond?
Rabies vaccination
Every day our teams are out in our project areas vaccinating dogs. This is because dogs serve as a reservoir for the disease and are the main source of transmission to humans, with 99% of all human rabies deaths being the result of an infected dog bite. While human rabies vaccines are important, they only protect one person, they are costly, and it does not address the source of the problem: canine rabies. To stop the spread to humans we need to stop dogs catching it in the first place. Through canine vaccination, we can protect not only them but also their whole community. By creating healthier dog populations, people do not need to live in fear because of rabies, we can help build a more positive relationship between people and dogs.
Dogs receiving their life-saving rabies vaccination during our Mumbai vaccination drive in 2024, where 26,951 were vaccinated. Mumbai has a large free roaming dog population and rabies was declared a notifiable disease by Maharashtra State Health Department in 2022. India is the world’s hotspot for rabies, with a third of all estimated human rabies cases.
Children and community members getting their dogs ready for vaccination in Cambodia during our 2024 campaign. This was the largest rabies vaccination drive in Asia, with 229,488 dogs being vaccinated. Cambodia has one of the highest rabies deaths per capita of any country in the world.
Children bringing their pets to our static vaccination points in Malawi, in many cases children are the main care takers of dogs. Malawi remains one of the world’s poorest countries and a hotspot for rabies – as the disease places a huge burden on the country and communities within.
Children with their recently vaccinated dogs in Goa, India. We have been working in Goa since 2013, with the state being declared a ‘Rabies Controlled Area’ in 2021. Since then, our work has shifted to focus on maintaining this through rabies surveillance and vaccination at the state borders.
Rabies education
Education is one of the most powerful tools for change – if people understand the risk of rabies and appropriate dog bite treatment is well known, rabies is 100% preventable. A huge part of our work is going into schools and educating children. This is vital because 40% of all human rabies deaths are children under the age of 15 years old. Lack of knowledge is a key reason why people, and most often children, die from rabies. Our sessions teach children the risks of rabies, how to interact with dogs, life-saving first aid after an exposure, and the signs of rabies in dogs. One of our goals is making animal welfare part of everyday learning. Our lessons build empathy, compassion and respect, by explaining to children how their actions make a big impact on animals.
By teaching children from a young age how to treat animals with kindness, and how to safely interact with dogs, we can create a better world for all. We can ensure that children can have a positive relationship with dogs, while also knowing the signs of danger to look out for to protect themselves and their community.
In May 2025, we completed a vaccination and education campaign in the world’s largest refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, where we reached over 12,000 community members and children. We delivered this emergency response due to fears rising over the spread of rabies in the settlement.
Not only do we go into schools to teach children about rabies, but we also distribute educational leaflets during our vaccination campaigns, share radio announcements, and give talks within key community locations. During our Cambodia 2024 vaccination drive, community members and children received leaflets explaining the dangers of rabies, first aid after an exposure, and our rabies hotline to report any suspected rabid dogs or bite cases.
During our vaccination and education campaign in Mozambique 2025 over 46,000 children were educated on rabies prevention. Our team went into schools to deliver these lessons, demonstrating to children how to wash bite wounds with soap and water – a crucial first step in preventing rabies which can significantly reduce the risk of infection.
Get involved to help end rabies
World Rabies Day is coming up and we need your support to make this the final rabies generation.
Volunteer
By volunteering on one of our vaccination drives you will have an adventure of a life-time, while protecting people and dogs from one of the world’s deadliest diseases. Browse our opportunities. We have some exciting volunteering opportunities coming up for 2026. Register your interest to be the first to hear when these open.
Donate
Just £5 can teach 25 children life-saving information on how to protect themselves against this cruel and deadly disease. Donate today.
Fundraise
Raise vital funds to protect vulnerable communities, spread our important message, and become a fundraising champion. You can get involved in our 99,000 steps walking challenge or create your own challenge. Find out more.
