Our Bureau
Orlando, FL
The American Association of Veterinarians of Indian Origin (AAVIO) continues to strengthen its national and global leadership through strategic engagement with veterinarians, industry partners, and public health stakeholders, addressing critical challenges in veterinary medicine, rabies control, and humane stray dog population management.
During VMX 2026 in Orlando, AAVIO successfully hosted its National AAVIO Meet, welcoming members from across the United States—including the West Coast, Midwest, Northeast, Texas, and Florida. The meeting reflected AAVIO’s expanding national footprint and brought together senior leaders, past presidents, and a strong cohort of young veterinarians, underscoring the future leadership of the organization.
The event, held in collaboration with Merck Animal Health, focused on innovation in veterinary medicine, industry collaboration, and AAVIO’s continued commitment to global rabies control through Mission Rabies. Merck Animal Health reaffirmed its support of the veterinary community and its partnership with AAVIO, emphasizing education, innovation, and improved patient care.
As part of the meeting, Dr. Ravi Murarka, President of AAVIO, provided an update on AAVIO’s ongoing involvement with Mission Rabies, highlighting the organization’s impactful work in India and other endemic regions. Through mass dog vaccination campaigns, veterinary training, and community education, Mission Rabies has vaccinated millions of dogs and demonstrated that sustained vaccination coverage of at least 70%, combined with humane Animal Birth Control (ABC) programs, is the most effective strategy to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies.
India accounts for an estimated one-third of global human rabies deaths, making rabies not only an animal welfare issue but a major public health concern. Scientific evidence and global experience consistently show that culling or indiscriminate removal of dogs is ineffective, while vaccination and sterilization provide long-term, humane, and cost-effective results.
These principles are also reflected in the legal framework of India. The Supreme Court of India has repeatedly emphasized adherence to the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, which are grounded in science, public health, and animal welfare. The Court has underscored that dog population management must be carried out through vaccination, sterilization, and responsible governance, rather than fear-driven or cruel measures.
Continuing this advocacy, today Dr. Murarka met with Rajeev Modi, Executive Vice President – U.S. Pet Health and Global Digital Transformation at Elanco Animal Health Inc. The discussion focused on the challenges of stray dog population management in India and the urgent need for scalable, humane solutions.
While Elanco does not currently manufacture rabies vaccines in India, Mr. Modi expressed strong interest in exploring how Elanco can support spay–neuter initiatives as part of a sustainable and science-based approach. He committed to reviewing potential avenues of support and continuing discussions with AAVIO.
“These discussions—whether at VMX with our members and partners like Merck, or in today’s meeting with Elanco—reflect AAVIO’s mission to bridge veterinary science, industry collaboration, and public health responsibility,” said Dr. Murarka. “Rabies control and stray dog population management must be addressed through reason, compassion, and evidence-based solutions. AAVIO remains committed to contributing meaningfully to this global effort.”
Through continued collaboration with industry leaders, veterinary professionals, and animal welfare organizations, AAVIO aims to advance humane, sustainable, and scientifically proven strategies that protect both animal welfare and public health, in the United States and globally.
