Ingelheim, Germany, September 23, 2026
Boehringer Ingelheim and AWARE Germany e.V. and AWARE Trust Zimbabwe have launched a new multi-year Stop Rabies project in Zimbabwe aimed at protecting dogs, communities and livelihoods from dog-mediated rabies. The initiative is being implemented in the Tsholotsho District, one of Zimbabwe’s remote and underserved rural areas, through a comprehensive One Health approach that connects animal health, human wellbeing and community education. The collaboration combines large-scale dog vaccination, population management, veterinary outreach and rabies education to address the disease at its primary source. Through mobile veterinary teams, the partners aim to vaccinate approximately 15,000 dogs every year, representing more than 90% of the local dog population, while at least 1,200 dogs will receive free sterilization annually. The project also includes education programs designed to improve awareness of rabies prevention and responsible animal care among children and communities.
Stop Rabies Project Expands Dog Vaccination in Zimbabwe
The new program builds on AWARE’s existing veterinary and rabies-prevention activities in Zimbabwe and expands the reach of the Stop Rabies initiative into Tsholotsho. Rabies remains a major zoonotic disease that can affect both animals and humans, while dogs are responsible for more than 99% of human rabies cases, making dog vaccination a critical component of disease prevention. The project will deploy mobile veterinary teams to improve access to vaccination in rural communities where veterinary services can be limited. By targeting approximately 15,000 dogs annually, the initiative aims to achieve vaccination coverage of more than 90% of the local dog population. The program will also provide free sterilization for at least 1,200 dogs each year, supporting population management alongside vaccination. Combining these activities is intended to strengthen long-term rabies control while improving animal welfare and access to veterinary care in underserved communities.
Veterinary Education Supports One Health Rabies Control
Education is another major component of the Zimbabwe initiative, reflecting the project’s broader One Health strategy. AWARE is expanding its PAWS Clubs (Promoting Animal Welfare Clubs) and plans to train 170 teachers across 85 schools, reaching more than 50,000 students with information about rabies prevention, safe interactions with dogs and responsible animal care. Community education is particularly important in rural areas, where awareness of animal-bite risks and access to healthcare and veterinary services can vary significantly. By working with teachers, children, veterinarians and local communities, the partners aim to build knowledge that can support sustained prevention beyond individual vaccination campaigns. The project therefore combines veterinary intervention with community engagement, recognizing that controlling a zoonotic disease requires coordinated action across animal and human health sectors.
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Boehringer Ingelheim Strengthens Global Animal Health Efforts
The Zimbabwe project forms part of Boehringer Ingelheim’s global Stop Rabies program, which focuses on preventing dog-mediated human rabies through animal vaccination and community-based initiatives. The company operates an extensive Animal Health business providing vaccines, parasite-control products and medicines for companion animals, horses and livestock. The partnership with AWARE adds veterinary outreach, education and community engagement to the rabies-prevention effort. Boehringer Ingelheim and AWARE are also using the project to strengthen local veterinary services and support a longer-term model for rabies prevention in affected communities. The initiative demonstrates how animal vaccination can contribute directly to public health, because reducing rabies infection in dogs can reduce the risk of transmission to people. The partners’ approach also reflects the interconnected nature of animal, human and environmental health under the One Health framework.
The new initiative represents an important animal-health and zoonotic-disease prevention program in Zimbabwe, particularly for rural communities with limited access to veterinary and healthcare services. By combining dog vaccination, sterilization, veterinary outreach and education, the program aims to address multiple factors influencing rabies transmission and animal welfare. The annual vaccination target of 15,000 dogs and education of more than 50,000 students provide measurable goals for the collaboration, while continued community engagement will be important for sustaining prevention efforts. For the veterinary and animal-health sector, the project highlights the role of preventive vaccination and community-based veterinary programs in controlling infectious diseases that affect both animals and people.
Source: Boehringer Ingelheim press release
