KAS is predominantly the first shelter in the Hills to start animal birth control programme to save the lives of thousands of dogs that were previously poisoned in order to curb the stray dog population. With Dr. Christine’s vision to start a sterilisation programme in the Hill stations of West Bengal, KAS and DGAS were founded.
KAS from the very start has worked relentlessly conducting outreach programmes with respect to anti-rabies vaccination and animal birth control. In those days, when people in far off villages were battling every day against rabid dogs attacking humans, there wasn’t any safe abode for humans to live, but gradually with KAS’s journey to remote villages in order to help the community fight against rabies, KAS went door to door to vaccinate owned pets and strays. Little knowledge did people know that rabies vaccine was the only solution to it all, but with time and KAS’s services far and near, eventually, the most dreadful disease rabies started to decline. Thereafter, animal birth control was also introduced to these villages by conducting small camps where the village members would be invited for awareness. In this way, KAS was successful in their outreach making the community happy and a friendly place for both humans and animals. From then onwards, village camps were conducted every year for vaccination and neutering of cats and dogs. People from these villages are now aware of ARV and ABC programmes of KAS and they seek out for help when such a camp has to be organised. So, KAS is approached by the local person from the community when the camp is to be held, and KAS without fail, makes it to the camp venue and performs an open flank spay and updated regularly on animals’ health check-up and vaccination.
This year again in the month of May, many ABC camps were organised in these far flung villages of Kalimpong like Sakyong (Pedong), Lolaygoan, Pudung and Dungra Busty. KAS Vet, Dr. DP. Pandey assisted by compounders Lil, Sanjeev and Mahesh vaccinated and operated all community dogs including a fewer cats.
Sakyong was one of the worst hit villages’ years ago by rabid dogs where few people having been attacked by rabid dogs also lost their lives. The community people there used herbal medicine locally termed ‘DHATURA’ to cured rabies bite, such was the atmosphere there but, as KAS came into picture, the death ratio declined along with rabid dogs. Now, there is hardly any case of rabies in that village.
Likewise all the villages faced the same with an increase in mortality rates but with the support of KAS team, people fought against it collectively. And it is such a wonder to see those villages today that have become both human and animal friendly.
Following are the numbers of Camps held in the month of May
| Village camp venue | No. of cat ABC | No. of dog ABC | ARV |
| Sakyong | 5 | 8 | ü |
| Lolaygoan | 1 | 22 | ü |
| Pudung | 0 | 12 | ü |
| Dungra | 2 | 16 | ü |
