The Soi Dog Foundation (SDF) has reached a significant milestone: this month (October) it sterilised animal number 250,000.

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SDF’s campaign of Catch, Neuter, Vaccinate and Release (CNVR) is believed to be now sterilising more stray dogs and cats than any other organisations in the world.

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Founded 15 years ago, Phuket-based SDF’s core mission is to end the suffering of street dogs and cats in Thailand using CNVR.

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This concept has been applied by SDF in Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Phang Nga province, each time successfully resulting in an ethical and painless decline in the stray population. SDF founder John Dalley said, “We are extremely proud to have reached such a tremendous milestone, which was made possible thanks to our supporters from all around the world.

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“It is impossible to calculate how many millions of puppies and kittens have been spared from being born into a life that would usually be short before they died of starvation, disease or violence, or at best a life spent scratching to survive on the streets.

“A tiny percentage would be fortunate to be found by Soi Dog or other groups before they died, and placed in a proper, loving home.”

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Soi Dog’s current major CNVR focus is on Bangkok’s population of street dogs, estimated to number around 640,000. It now has four teams manning mobile clinics in different districts of Bangkok.

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Another team is doing the same work in Nakhon Si Thammarat province.

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The teams sterilise and vaccinate dogs and cats against as many as six common diseases, including rabies, and also rid each animal of fleas and ticks before releasing it back into its territory, usually within 24 hours.

Each animal sterilised and vaccinated by an SDF team has a number tattooed on its ear, an assurance that it is safe to live in the community.

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Phuket is the prime example of how successful CNVR is. The dog population on the island has been reduced from around 80,000 in 2003 to about 6,500 now, and Phuket is the only province in Thailand recognised by the government as a Rabies-Free Zone.

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Soi Dog Foundation also received the prestigious Rescue Organization of the Year Award from the Pet Philanthropy Circle at their annual gala, held on October 19 in New York City, and was the winner of the People’s Choice Award, bestowed on the organization that received the most votes from online voting and the gala attendees.

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Janis Rosenthal, President of Soi Dog Foundation USA and Cristy Baker, International Partner Rescue Manager accepted the award on John Dalley’s behalf. Many of Soi Dog’s accomplishments were highlighted, including the 250,000^th sterilization milestone and the fact that the foundation is celebrating its 15^th anniversary.