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Press Release: International star Leona Lewis launches global campaign to protect dogs: Collars not cruelty in the fight against rabies

28 September 2011, London: The internationally-renowned singer Leona Lewis is launching the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA's) new global 'Red Collar' campaign to protect entire communities from both cruelty and rabies.

In a video message released today, World Rabies Day, Leona highlights that every year up to 20 million dogs are cruelly killed in misguided attempts to control the dreaded disease, despite the fact that an effective, humane, alternative solution exists – mass vaccination. With the spotlight on Leona as she prepares to launch her new album, 'Glass Heart', the singer is urging fans to support WSPA's Red Collar campaign, which advocates that dogs be vaccinated against rabies and given red collars so that communities know they are safe from the disease.

"I think it's absolutely horrific that 20 million dogs are killed every year because of the fear of rabies when there is an alternative solution," said Leona Lewis, "I really want to help WSPA to spread the word worldwide and end the cruelty that is happening at the moment. By educating people and getting vaccinations out there, we're helping both humans and animals."

When confronted with the problem of this fast-spreading disease, national governments sometimes turn to what they believe is the only way to wipe out rabies: wipe out the dog population. The animal-loving singer witnessed shocking footage showing how dogs are poisoned, beaten or gassed to death as part of these culls.

"I was devastated when I saw these images! I have grown up with dogs and for them to be destroyed, to be killed like that – I can't actually express how upsetting it is! It is like a nightmare that this is allowed to happen," Leona said.

But with successful rabies control projects in countries across Asia and Latin America, WSPA has proven time and time again that a world without rabies is not a world without dogs. WSPA, like the global health agency, the World Health Organization (WHO), believes that the only truly effective solution for rabies control is mass dog vaccination combined with efforts to reduce the incidence of dog bites.

"No one needs to die of rabies – not dogs, not people! Rabies is entirely preventable. Vaccinating a dog against rabies costs just a fraction of what one person would need to spend on getting treatment after being bitten by an unvaccinated dog!" said Leona.

Indonesia's tourist destination, Bali, demonstrates the most recent success of WSPA's mass vaccination approach to rabies control. One year ago, WSPA funded Bali's first island-wide mass vaccination program, which saw approximately 210,000 dogs vaccinated. This resulted in a decrease of over 78% in cases of rabies in dogs, and a reduction of 48% in rabies-related human deaths, compared to the same period in the previous year.

"I think that WSPA's initiative in Bali is amazing and it proves that their solution works to protect humans, and of course to protect the animals," Leona says. "I wish that more governments would take this on board. I really hope that everyone joins me in supporting this campaign as this is something I feel really passionate about."

Join the WSPA Red Collar campaign at: www.wspa.ca/redcollar

Notes to editors:

1. The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) seeks to create a world where animal welfare matters and animal cruelty has ended through effective campaigning and collaboration with regional, national and international partners and forums. We hold consultative status at the Council of Europe and collaborate with national governments and the United Nations.
2. The World Health Organization (WHO) has described campaigns like Red Collar as "Globally, the most cost-effective strategy for preventing rabies in people." Please see WHO's factsheet on rabies:
   http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs099/en/