Boehringer Ingelheim and AWARE launch new Stop Rabies project in Zimbabwe to help protect dogs and communities

Ingelheim, Germany – As part of its global Stop Rabies program, Boehringer Ingelheim, AWARE Germany e.V. and AWARE Trust Zimbabwe are launching a comprehensive rabies-control initiative in the Tsholotsho District of Zimbabwe, one of the most remote and poorest rural areas in the country. Together, the two veterinary-led AWARE organizations follow a holistic One-Health approach to improve animal welfare, community wellbeing, and wildlife conservation. The collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim combines dog vaccination and population management with education of children to help reduce the burden of rabies in one of the country’s most affected regions.

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Rabies is entirely preventable, yet it continues to claim tens of thousands of lives every year. Rural communities are especially vulnerable, and children are among those most affected. Because more than 99% of human rabies cases originate from infected dogs, vaccinating dogs remains the most effective way to stop the disease at its source and protect both people and animals 1 .

Expanding Stop Rabies in Zimbabwe At the center of the new Stop Rabies project in Zimbabwe is a comprehensive program based at AWARE’s veterinary hub in Tsholotsho. Through mobile veterinary teams, the project aims to vaccinate approximately 15,000 dogs every year, reaching an estimated vaccination coverage of more than 90% of the local dog population. The program also includes the free sterilization of at least 1,200 dogs annually, helping support sustainable rabies control and animal welfare.

“No one should die from a disease that can be prevented. Through our Stop Rabies program, we are contributing to eliminating dog-mediated human rabies deaths, knowing that this can only be achieved through collective action,” says Thaïs Vila, Global Program Lead for Stop Rabies at Boehringer Ingelheim.

The collaboration builds on AWARE’s longstanding rabies prevention work in Zimbabwe and reflects a shared commitment to protecting interconnected lives. Protecting dogs from rabies is one of the most effective ways to reduce disease transmission, improve human health and strengthen community resilience.

“We have seen firsthand how sustained vaccination, and community engagement can reduce the burden of rabies. With Boehringer Ingelheim’s support, we can expand our reach and strengthen local veterinary services to help protect even more communities across Tsholotsho,” says Martin Kessler, Chair of AWARE Germany.

Education is another key part of the collaboration. AWARE is expanding its PAWS Clubs (Promoting Animal Welfare Clubs), training 170 teachers across 85 schools and reaching more than 50,000 students with information on rabies prevention, safe interactions with dogs and responsible animal care.