The only vet in Sierra Leone treating rabid dogs gets recognition in Britain

Since 1988, there’s been no veterinary in Sierra Leone that treats dogs with minor wounds, parasites and rabies but the Sierra Leone Animal Welfare Society founded by veterinary surgeon Dr Abdul Gudush Jalloh.

Dr Jalloh founded the society after the death of his seven-year-old brother who was bitten by a rabid dog. He has since tackled the problem of rabid deaths by offering to spay, neuter and vaccinate dogs against rabies for free.

This voluntary service earned him the UK’s Point of Light recognition awarded by the British Prime Minister to inspirational volunteers. The recognition was announced last week by the Prime Minister’s Office.

“I congratulate Dr Jalloh on winning this award as recognition of his continued good work to alleviate the suffering of animals in Sierra Leone and in doing so reduce health risks to humans, in particular children, from transferable diseases such as rabies,” says Guy Warrington, UK High Commissioner in Sierra Leone.

“I am very honoured to have been chosen to receive this prestigious award. In life there are many ways in getting almost anywhere you want to go and achieve anything you want to do. The most important is the willingness to go where there was no path, achieve and leave a trail,” said a happy Dr Abdul Gudush Jalloh.

He has become one of the hundreds of people who have been named Points of Light by the Prime Minister since 2014 for changing lives and inspiring thousands more to get involved or start their own initiatives.

Dr Jalloh’s society has partnered with Freetown City Council and the city’s Mayor to launch dog population management and rabies prevention policies. The society has vaccinated 50,000 dogs against rabies and sterilised over 45,000.