Why sterilise strays instead of rescuing them?

19 June 2026

When the truck arrives at a rescue centre carrying stray dogs, the animals are frightened, hungry and in need of care. For the volunteers waiting to receive them, every dog represents a life saved. Rescue stories move us because they show compassion in action as a dog is lifted from suffering and given a second chance. But there is a difficult question at the heart of animal welfare:

Would we rather rescue one truckload of dogs today, or stop the reason the trucks keep arriving tomorrow?

At ACTAsia, we believe both matter. But if we want to create lasting change, prevention must stand alongside rescue. That is why we invest in high-welfare sterilisation programmes and veterinary training.

Because while rescuing strays saves individual lives, sterilisation prevents suffering on a much larger scale.

The cycle that keeps repeating

Across China, rescue centres work tirelessly to care for abandoned and stray animals. Yet many shelters remain overcrowded and under pressure. In Chengdu alone, – the capital of the Sichuan province – rescue centres are currently caring for more than 2,000 stray animals, many of them the result of uncontrolled breeding following abandonment by owners. This is the challenge facing animal welfare organisations everywhere as they fight the repetitive cycle of rescuing more animals as new litters continue to be born.

One unspayed female dog and her offspring can contribute to thousands of puppies over a six-year period. Even when shelters, charities, and volunteers work around the clock, they cannot keep pace with unchecked reproduction. Without prevention, the cycle continues.

Why sterilisation is one of the most humane tools we have

When people think of animal welfare, they often picture rescue. Very few people picture a sterilisation surgery. Yet by carrying out these procedures we are helping to prevent countless animals from experiencing distress. Sterilisation reduces the number of animals born into lives of hunger, disease, neglect or abandonment. It eases pressure on shelters, improves welfare outcomes and helps communities manage stray populations humanely.

Most importantly, it prevents suffering before it starts. That is why ACTAsia’s approach focuses not only on helping animals today, but on creating a future where fewer animals need rescuing at all.

Dedicated vets visit Chengdu’s Animal Welfare and One Health Event to make a difference to local communities

This year our dedicated team of veterinarians returned to Chengdu from 8-10^th June with ACTAsia serving as executive organiser of the Chengdu Animal Welfare and One Health Exchange and Practice Event.

Over the three days, 18 veterinarians came together for advanced animal welfare and clinical skills training while providing high-welfare sterilisation surgeries for 63 cats and dogs living in rescue centres.

However, the goal was not simply to perform surgeries. The goal was to strengthen the veterinary profession’s ability to address the root causes of stray animal suffering while supporting public health through responsible population management. Participants received hands-on training in welfare-centred veterinary care, including pain management, infection prevention, anaesthesia monitoring and advanced sterilisation techniques. Dr Yin is one of ACTAsia’s pioneering vets and she led the sessions with skill and compassion. 

“To control the population of stray animals, we can do this through sterilisation. Once 70% of the animals in a given area have been sterilised, the stray animal population in that area can be brought under control and kept at a stable level.”
Dr. Yin

Note: The 70% threshold is a well-known benchmark in TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) programmes 

Every surgery helped an individual animal and every veterinarian trained will help many more animals.

Why we train vets instead of treating one animal at a time

ACTAsia understands the importance of investing in veterinary education rather than simply adopting a ‘rescue’ mentality and treating as many animals as possible. Education is at the heart of ACTAsia’s award-winning work. We understand that training creates a ripple effect which in turn has a direct impact on societies. This is why we promote ACTAsia’s Vets for Change initiative. Vets for Change is a pioneering programme whereby ACTAsia and its partners train vets in animal welfare and best practice for companion animals. In China veterinary knowledge is often limited to the theoretical education they receive with very little practical training.

One veterinarian can sterilise hundreds or thousands of animals throughout their career. They can introduce better welfare standards into clinics, influence colleagues, mentor younger professionals and improve outcomes for countless animals.

At the Chengdu event, several participating veterinarians were graduates of previous ACTAsia training programmes. After learning advanced welfare-focused techniques, they have continued to volunteer in animal welfare projects and help communities manage stray populations humanely.

This is how lasting change happens – not through a single operation – but through building a generation of veterinary professionals who combine technical excellence with compassion

The vital link to public health 

Animal welfare and human wellbeing are deeply connected. Uncontrolled stray animal populations increase the risk of zoonotic diseases, including rabies, that can pass between animals and humans.

By supporting sterilisation, vaccination, and responsible population management, communities can reduce these risks while improving outcomes for animals.

This is the principle behind the One Health approach championed by ACTAsia and its partners: recognising that the health of people, animals and the environment are interconnected. When animals are healthier and populations are managed humanely, everyone benefits.

Shouting about the importance of Prevention

Rescue will always be necessary as there will always be animals who need immediate help, shelter and protection. But if we truly want to reduce suffering, we must also look at the bigger picture and ask why so many animals need rescuing in the first place. 

If we want to make a difference it means supporting sterilisation, it means training veterinarians and it means promoting responsible pet ownership. However, it also means helping communities understand that compassion is not only about responding to suffering — it is about preventing it. 

The most powerful act of kindness is not always rescuing the animal in front of us but ensuring that thousands of others never face the same fate.

Help create lasting change

ACTAsia’s Vets for Change programme trains veterinary professionals to deliver high-welfare care, improve animal welfare standards and reduce stray animal suffering at its source.

Your support helps us train more veterinarians, reach more communities, and create a future where fewer animals need rescuing at all.

Donate today and help us turn prevention into compassion in action.

With grateful thanks to Chengdu Agricultural College, WSAVA, Vets for Compassion, Olsen Animal Trust and Fondation Brigitte Bardot