In order to improve the government's awareness of rabies prevention and effective urban and rural dog population management, Animals Asia Foundation and Shanghai Small Animal Protection Society, in collaboration with Humane Society International, held the 3rd China Dog Management Symposium on September 15-16, 2011, in Shanghai.

Over 100 participants from 30 Chinese cities attended this conference, including animal protection groups and government officials from the departments of disease control and prevention, and dog management. Capital Animal Welfare Association, ACTAsia for Animals, the Shanghai Police Department, epidemic experts and other animal protection groups were among the 13 speakers at the conference.

Mr. Sun Weihua, the deputy director from the security administration department of Shanghai Public Security Bureau, and Mr. Chen Pengfeng, the president of Shanghai Small Animal Protection Society, spoke about the current situation on dog population management and dog catching. Dr Fiona Woodhouse, Deputy Executive Director of HKSPCA, discussed their experience on collaboration between the government and civil groups. Professor Tang Qing from the China Centre for Disease Control and Prevention analysed the rabies surveillance situation and trends in China, and stressed that surveillance has a key role to play in rabies prevention and control.

Professor Zu Shuxian from the Epidemiology and Social Medicine Deparment, An Hui Medical University, pointed out that there are many misconceptions about rabies in current Chinese society that need to be corrected.

Mona Lung, ACTAsia's campaign officer, gave a presentation on ‘Why culling does not work'. She discussed our experience with rabies prevention and control, and our veterinary training programme. She also introduced ACTAsia's study on the current status of Chinese dog population management and the implications of dog culling from 2006-2011. This study covered 56 cities and 65 mass culling incidences.

She pointed out that dog culling did not reduce rabies, dog populations, and dog bite numbers. It only drew attention to the inability of the local government to find effective solutions to these issues, and damaged the reputation of the region. According to Ms Lung: “Effective and humane rabies control and dog population management need long term science-based policies, with collaboration from all stakeholders, including government departments and animal protection groups.”

During the 2009 mass dog culling in Hangzhong, ACTAsia for Animals held a “Forum for scientific and effective methods of rabies prevention and humane control”. Participants included epidemic experts, government delegates and journalists. ACTAsia has produced the forum proceedings and reference documents and a compilation report on the case for humane rabies in China. We distribute these documents, which contain research and reports on successful rabies programmes in other countries, to local governments planning or implementing a mass culling of dogs.

Over the past three years, ACTAsia for Animals has conducted veterinary training programmes on spay/neuter surgery in Beijing, Shenzhen and Dalian through a collaboration with Australian group Vets Beyond Borders. Our programme also focuses on the importance of vaccinating animals to prevent rabies, and the role played by vets in rabies control.