It’s a hideous death: Rabies attacks the brain, and dogs suffering from it can’t swallow or drink and stumble around with raving madness that often causes them to lash out, biting at humans, other animals, and the air. The disease is spreading in India, which is why people are killing dogs there out of fear of being bitten and contracting it themselves.

In fact, around 30,000 humans die of rabies every year in the country. Without a timely rabies shot, the disease is 100% fatal.

One businessperson is even offering a bounty to encourage the killing, which often involves beating dogs to death—dogs who have lived in those communities for years.

Thankfully, Animal Rahat is now playing a major role in eradicating rabies while also addressing other problems besetting village dogs. The group is going village to village to vaccinate all community dogs.

Animal Rahat’s anti-rabies vaccination program is part of its animal birth control campaign. Together, these lifesaving programs have already sterilized and vaccinated more than 98% of the dog population across 30 villages in Maharashtra. The result: Zero new cases of rabies have been reported in those areas.

Prevention is the answer. And Animal Rahat is making sure prevention is what it delivers as it tackles both this scourge and the dog overpopulation crisis.