Sanctuaire de la Faune de Tanger (SFT), a shortlisted nominee for the GARC World Rabies Day awards 2020.

Overview:

SFTs main focus is the city of Tangier, Morocco. The mission of SFT is to make Tangier first rabies free and animal friendly city and a role model for the whole country and continent. The work has been recognised by other charities across Morocco. An initiative has been taken to make the project of eradicating rabies nation
wide by an umbrella organisation supported by majority of of Animal Charities in Morocco. To emphasize - it many ways it is thanks to the previous World Rabies Day Awards granted to SFT in 2018 and 2019 that the organisation has gained the recognition and appreciation among charities, authorities and the general public.

Our work:

Project Hayat is the flagship project of SFT.

Hayat means LIFE. The project aims to protect all - Animals and Humans! Every year in Morocco, thousands of dogs are tragically killed through fear of rabies, and as an attempt to control the population of strays.

Stop the culling
SFT has received the Rabies Day Award 2 years in a row, which has been a tremendous help in the work they do to stop the culling in Morocco and convince the authorities to implement nation wide program of TNVT starting with Tangier. A law has been passed by the parliament to support an humane population control as well as rabies eradication by vaccination. This is still to be implemented, but in the interim SFT was able to organise a meeting with the Mayor of Tangier that again promised that all culling of strays in Tangier will stop.

Project Hayat’s three pillars are: TNVT, education and community engagement.
TNVT = Treat, Neuter, Vaccinate and Tag.
After the strays have been Treated, Neutered and Vaccinated, they are identified with a yellow Tag. This means both the authorities and the public know that they are not a danger to the community. During the many months of confinement and COVID19 restrictions on movement across the country SFT is still working towards the goal of rabies free city. Strays are being TNVT every week and the staff is also making sure the tagged dogs are well cared for, fed and healthy.

How do SFT engage the community?
They explain that we all have the right to live (every life is precious) and be safe and the only humane way to prevent rabies, zoonotic diseases, unwanted pups and kittens suffering on the streets of Tangier is to TNVT. SFT educates the people about the work they do and let them know it is in their benefit to look after these strays. 

Education
SFT is educating children and young adults around animal welfare and how to avoid dog bites. To date over 40,000 children and young adults have joined an SFT led education session and they all love it.
Sadly with the COVID19 situation since March 2020 we have not been able to engage in face to face session in schools and of course limited in public, however the Facebook page “Project Hayat” has become a great platform for everyone to ask questions, share, educate them selves and follow the work.


To be able to continue this vital work and reach the goals every awards, recognition is necessary. SFT has to keep going but of course needs all the help they can get! An award would again mean so much and also motivate and encourage the staff, it gives SFT stronger voice for the animals against the authorities and boost the confidence that the organization is on the right way!

Impact:

The TNVT program as well as education and community engagement is taking place across most neighborhoods of Tangier and the aim is to reach all. Tangier city has an estimated number of 30,000 strays and approximately 1 million inhabitants. Add on the great number of visitors each year and there have been cases of a tourist dying of rabies due to a dog or cat bite while visiting Morocco. SFT has so far TNVT (treated, neutered, vaccinated and tagged) over 1700 stray dogs and 600 cats. SFT has educated over 40,000 children and young adults under the Project Hayat. SFT has also vaccinated over 200 dogs of
poor families, worked actively with behaviour change around animal welfare with local communities by explaining the importance of vaccination and sterilisation and how to avoid dog bites.
SFT also runs a sanctuary that is located just outside of the city of Tangier, in a village called Sebt Zinat. This has of course also benefitted the people of this village, many dogs of the inabitans have been vaccinated as well as the strays in the village and around. The location of the sanctuary has
raised awareness among the people in the village and the presence of SFT has been very appreciated!

(content modified from nomination information)

Sanctuaire de la Faune de Tanger (SFT), GARC World Rabies Day awards nominee activities 2020, including animal welfare activities
Sanctuaire de la Faune de Tanger (SFT), GARC World Rabies Day awards nominee activities 2020, including dog vaccination.
Sanctuaire de la Faune de Tanger (SFT), GARC World Rabies Day awards nominee activities 2020, including education in schools