Sedra was only 5 years old when bitten by the family dog, Toto. Toto also bit four other people before dying two days later. Tests showed that Toto had died of rabies. The four other people (including two of Sedra's siblings) all went to hospital for treatment. But Sedra was scared of the injections and ran away. His parents were beside themselves. A delay in treatment increases the risk of rabies taking hold and 99.9% of cases are fatal once symptoms appear.

Once Sedra had been found, his parents took him back to the hospital. He received treatment and, fortunately, is still in good health today.

Post-exposure prophylaxis (a series of vaccinations to stop the onset of rabies) saves countless lives every year but it is expensive, and doesn't solve the problem. To end rabies in humans and animals, we need to vaccinate dogs to stop rabies at the source.

We're planning a major dog vaccination campaign in Madagascar, Sedra's home, early next year. Boehringer Ingelheim has generously donated 75,000 vaccine doses; local authorities have provided the necessary vaccination cards; and we have volunteers signed up to help.

Now all we need to complete the gift are syringes to administer the vaccines, and dog collars to show the dogs have been vaccinated.

Can you help us reach our target of raising £1500 to purchase vital equipment for the upcoming dog vaccination campaign?

£6 will buy 5 syringes and collars

£24 will buy 20 syringes and collars

£120 will buy 100 syringes and collars

Your donation, whatever you can afford, will go directly toward purchasing syringes and dog collars for dogs in Madagascar. We ask for your help because rabies is largely a disease of the voiceless - impoverished and disenfranchised communities, and animals, who cannot speak.

They need your help and they aren't able to ask for it themselves. Vaccinating dogs means that children like Sedra need not live in fear for their lives when around dogs.

Thank you and wishing you peace and good health for the holiday season,

The Global Alliance for Rabies Control team