Recognized as Center of Excellence by GARC

Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) has been recognized as a Rabies Center of Excellence by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC). Through the Communities Against Rabies (CAR) program, GARC recognizes impactful organizations around the world leading the way on eliminating rabies, with a focus on community engagement and outreach.

Among the deadliest zoonotic diseases on earth, rabies claims the lives of nearly 59,000 people worldwide every single year. More than 95% of rabies deaths occur in Africa and Asia, and the majority of these fatalities are the result of dog bites. The deadly disease can also be transmitted to wildlife, and for vulnerable or endangered species, the impact can be devastating for population numbers. In landscapes shared by both humans and wildlife – like Namibia’s communal farmlands – the disease can spread from domestic animals, to humans, and wildlife.

In Namibia, CCF’s rabies vaccination program launched in the Greater Waterberg Landscape in 2019, building on the ‘One Health’ approach, highlighting the connection between the health of people, animals, and the environment. The first vaccination campaign was initiated in four communal conservancies chosen for their wildlife, including cheetahs and African wild dogs. During the program’s inaugural year, CCF staff vaccinated more than 1,000 domestic dogs and cats in the Ozonahi, Ojituuo, African Wild Dog, and Okamatapati conservancies.

Since 2019, the rabies outreach program has continued to expand and evolve, targeting communities in remote areas with very limited access to veterinary care. In 2022, CCF connected with GARC and the following year began using their Data Platform, a free digital tool designed to help organizations track and visualize vaccination data in real time. The shift from paper to digital records has enabled much faster post-campaign analysis, and allowed CCF to share data with Namibia’s government reporting system. CCF’s data contributes directly to Namibia’s national rabies prevention figures and supports the national ‘Zero by 30’ initiative, which aims to end human deaths from dog-transmitted rabies by 2030.

Last year, the rabies outreach program in Namibia reached a new milestone – more than 10,000 dogs and cats vaccinated in the Greater Waterberg Landscape since the program launched in 2019.

Now recognized as a Rabies Center of Excellence (RCE) by GARC, CCF joins a broader network of organizations around the world dedicated to eliminating rabies. As part of this expanding global community, CCF will have access to GARC’s digital tools, expertise, and localized educational materials.

“These rabies campaigns are about more than just vaccinating dogs and treating sick animals,” says Veisy Kasoana, a Community Officer at CCF. “They are about the daily interactions with communities, seeing the smiles on people’s faces, and witnessing their eagerness and willingness to have their dogs vaccinated. That community engagement is what makes the work so rewarding.”

Find out more about the collaboration between CCF and GARC in the CheetahTV interview with Dr. Andre Coetzer, CEO of GARC and the driving force behind the development of the data platform: