Mars, Incorporated, a global leader in snacking, pet care, and food, has announced a global grant of US$726,000 through the Mars Impact Fund, the company’s enterprise-wide philanthropic platform focused on creating long-term community impact across its operating markets. India has been identified as a priority market under the initiative, with Humane World for Animals India leading implementation efforts aimed at advancing science-based street dog population management, expanding veterinary access, and strengthening institutional and professional capacity in underserved regions.
The initiative focuses on sustainable, evidence-driven approaches to dog population control, veterinary workforce development, and municipal capability building. The program combines sterilization and rabies vaccination campaigns with mobile veterinary services, professional training, and community engagement initiatives designed to improve public health outcomes and strengthen long-term animal welfare systems.
“Delivering impact starts with listening to communities and partnering with organizations that understand local needs,” said Michelle Grogg, Executive Director of the Mars Impact Fund. “Our partnership with Humane World for Animals reflects this approach by helping expand access to veterinary care and training in communities where it is needed most.”
India is home to one of the world’s largest populations of free-roaming dogs. Although the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, provide a scientific and legal framework for humane population management, implementation remains inconsistent across municipalities due to funding limitations, inadequate veterinary infrastructure, and uneven operational capabilities. Rapid urbanization has further intensified human–animal conflict in several cities, increasing the urgency for coordinated, science-led intervention models.
According to Mars’ State of Pet Homelessness Report 2023, nearly 69 million dogs and cats in India lack secure homes. The report emphasizes that sterilization coverage of approximately 70 percent or higher is considered critical for achieving long-term stabilization and humane reduction of street dog populations. The new initiative aims to address these structural gaps through sustained, systems-based intervention rather than short-term or fragmented measures.
In India, the program will initially focus on Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where high-volume spay-neuter services and professional veterinary training programs will be implemented in collaboration with local communities and government bodies. Humane World for Animals India will also establish the country’s first dedicated National Animal Birth Control Training Center in Lucknow, alongside a nationwide Mobile Training and Capacity Building Program for animal welfare organizations.
Additional initiatives will be launched in Hyderabad and Ahmedabad to improve access to pet vaccinations and encourage formal registration of owned dogs. These city-focused programs will include large-scale rabies vaccination campaigns supported by awareness and communication initiatives designed to promote responsible pet ownership and long-term community participation.
Manish Syag, Managing Director of Mars Pet Nutrition India, said the initiative reflects the need for structured and science-led approaches to managing human–animal coexistence in rapidly urbanizing environments.
“Sustainable progress requires science, scale, and institutional coordination,” he said. “This initiative aims to strengthen sterilization coverage, vaccination access, and veterinary capacity building in alignment with globally recognized population management benchmarks. It is designed as a long-term blueprint for building safer, healthier, and more resilient urban ecosystems for both people and animals.”
Alokparna Sengupta, Managing Director of Humane World for Animals India, said the partnership would focus on reducing human–dog conflict through science-led Animal Birth Control programs and community engagement.
“Through high-volume sterilization, vaccination, and outreach initiatives in states such as Uttarakhand and cities like Lucknow, we are demonstrating how structured programs can reduce conflict, dog bite incidents, and rabies risks,” she said. “The expansion of mobile veterinary clinics in underserved areas will further support community-driven solutions that improve both public safety and street animal welfare.”
As part of its long-term philanthropic strategy, the Mars Impact Fund plans to contribute US$85 million between 2025 and 2027, with annual philanthropic investments expected to reach US$50 million from 2028 onward.
