Associate Professor of Sociology Marion Willetts and Director of the Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development Frank Beck will present a talk at the next University Club titled “Gross National Happiness in Promoting the Well-being of Bhutan’s Street Dogs” at 4:30 p.m. Friday, November 2, in the Circus Room of the Bone Student Center.

Hundreds of millions of dogs roam freely throughout the world and are most visible in the urban centers of low-income countries. In attempts to mitigate the growing populations of these “street dogs,” local governments engage in “culling” programs, which include methods such as shooting, poisoning, and paying local residents to kill dogs using any means they wish. The Kingdom of Bhutan is unique, however, in that it is the first country in the world to develop and implement a nationwide Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release (TNVR) program to reduce the population of free-roaming dogs.

The talk will explore what makes Bhutan unique in its efforts to control its free-roaming dog population and how successful are these efforts through in-depth interviews with the founders/representatives of animal shelters/sanctuaries in Bhutan.

All faculty, staff, annuitants, and guests are welcome to attend University Club, which runs from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Continued program support is provided by the Office of the Provost and the Office of the President.

For special accommodations or additional information on U-Club events, contact University Club at (309) 438-7933 or email.