Dr Sourou, to begin this portrait for Guardians of the Bond, we would like to take a step back in time. Could you tell us about your career path, your various qualifications, and how your passion for veterinary medicine first came to be?

Thank you for this opportunity to partake in the Guardians of the Bond activities through the interview question I am personally and sincerely responding to.

I started my career in March 1991 as a Technical Assistant in a project called “Projet pour la Promotion de la Traction Animale au Togo (PROPTA).” I was then in charge of the sanitary and zootechnical follow-up of the draft animals (large animals used in agriculture) in the savanah region of Togo. During that practice, a close attention to the farmers’ livelihoods revealed that except large animals, farmers also have short cycle animals such as small ruminants, poultry and companion animals mostly dogs and cats for which veterinary visits are periodically needed. 

However, given that PROPTA project’s mission was to care only about the animals used in the agricultural production, I decided to settle on my own as private extension veterinarian to promote animal health and production as a source of diversified rural income for poverty alleviation, gender equity, public health and social wellbeing, including improved human-animal bond, with focus on dogs and cats. My institution was called Promotion Action Veterinaire (PROMAVET).

As the 1990s in the history of the western Africa in general and of Togo in particular were synonymous of dire socio-political and ethnic unrests, massive human migratory routes were developed between the savanah region of Togo and the neighboring countries such as Ghana, Burkina Faso and Benin republic. As a rule, during their migrations, families did move with what they cherished most, including livestock--the farmers’ living savings, and their pets, mostly dogs and cats. In order to reach out to these migrants in their settlement camps, I sought and obtained a permission from the Red Cross mission in Togo to be moving along with their teams on the field to organize vaccination campaigns against rabies coupled with deworming of dogs and cats. Similar prophylactic campaigns were also organized to address specific diseases of the livestock and poultry.

In the early 2000s, I was opportune to come across an American Veterinary Doctor called Joseph Korn, a graduate of Kentucky Veterinary School, who came to Togo as part of the Baptist Church in Togo to use veterinary service delivery for evangelism in the savanah region of Togo. After three years of field collaboration and experience sharing, carrying out complex surgical interventions, including ovariectomies and cesarian sections in dogs and cats belonging to American and British missionaries from Ghana, Republic of Benin and Burkina Faso, Dr Korn one day told me the following.: “Dr Sabi, you are already doing what I was sent here to do; so, I don’t see a reason for me to stay longer in Togo.” As a result, after training an adequate number of local evangelists, I heard one day that he relocated in Israel with his family.

In the meantime, I began to consider the English language as a professional tool and this strategy proved to be rewarding as I got recruited as an International consultant to implement a project of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in four Caribbean countries (Jamaica, St Vincent & St Lucia, Grenada and the Grenadine) after the passage of the hurricane Ivan in the Caribbean region in 2004 has destroyed anything regarding animal health and production lives and infrastructure, jeopardizing years of food security and safety effort in the region.

Similarly, following the protracted civil war that led to the independence of the South Sudanese republic in 2008, I was recruited in 2009 by Winrock International, an American NGO, to implement the veterinary pharmacy component of the USAID’s project called BRIDGE-SUDAN in South Sudan. My assessment of the existing veterinary drugs outlets revealed that veterinary drugs were freely sold on the market without any control or regulation authority; which posed serious public health issues as these drugs, mostly antibiotics of tetracycline and penicillin groups were used by uneducated farmers as there were no veterinarians in the country. On the other hand, fishermen could also insecticides and other similar chemicals normally destined for agriculture, and use them for fishing; which posed serious risks of pathogens developing resistant to antimicrobials and other chemicals. I then advised the project to shift project activities on extension works for awareness raising against public health consequences of uncontrolled veterinary drugs use.

I got also recruited consecutively by the Wild life and Veterinary Center of the UC Davis (USA), the AgricCenter of the University of Louisiana (USA), and Winrock International to implement USAID’s projects in Ghana, in Tanzania, in Benin republic and in Togo in relation with the H5N1 Avian Influenza outbreaks in Africa.

As part of my cape stone field experience for my MPH degree, I served as a Technical Assistant to the Animal Health and Production officer at FAO’s subregional office for the Eastern Africa in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). Among the various activities implemented, including the review of country-specific projects and consultants’ reports, I developed a health communication package for the prevention and control of human cases of bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis in Ethiopia. I then engaged in a series of awareness raising visits to the target groups.

Finally, following the series of droughts that affected the horn of Africa from 2008 to 2011, the FAO recruited me in 2012-2013 as a Veterinary Expert to implement an emergency programme aiming to strengthen the capacities of the national veterinary services and restore affected livelihoods in republic of Djibouti.

Pertaining to my qualifications, in addition to holding a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Ukraine, I also hold a MPH degree (One Health Programme) and my area of emphasis is Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses (from Kansas State University, USA, GPA: 3.4; in 2012). Finally, I hold a series of certificates, including one in One Health Online Course (University of Calgary, Canada), one in Agricultural Development & Economics (from Cornell University) and others.

Indeed, my passion for the Veterinary Medicine took form from my primary school years as I developed a unusual micro-business consisting in purchasing 3–5-month-old local chicks every Saturday, which was our village’s market day. These chicks could go through two different pathways: either to be sold on the same day to make some benefice, or to be kept for weeks or months to allow weight gain or even reproduction. Gradually, I ended by learning more about village poultry rearing. As a result, after my High School Diploma, I opted for a study in relation with animal health and production, without necessarily knowing the name of the field. Hopefully, there was only one scholarships available at the time, and it for studies in Russia, which I promptly accepted.

What are the very first defining memories of your studies that forged your approach to the harsh realities of the field?

The very first years of studies in Russia have not be easy. Instead of six (06) full academic years of veterinary studies, the curriculum has been compressed to five (05) years. To make this happen, we owed to attend classes from Monday to Saturday, 08 hrs per day, and after the classes, every student is under a strict obligation to attend the laboratory sessions (especially Anatomy as example, where the odor of the preparations adds another layer of complication to the subject itself as there is always a teacher on duty not only to assist you in your studies, but also and very importantly control the list of the attendance. 

Any absent on the self-preparation Lab works will be severely interrogated during the subsequent class, and these marks count for the semester, unless you arrange the time with the teacher to come back face to face with him to catch up with your grade. We only had two weeks for summer holydays meanwhile chistmax holyday did not exist, due to the Orthodox religious system. We had only one day for the new year, one day for Easter, one day for each of their local historical events.  As a result, many students have resigned, going to other departments or schools. 

For the first three years of studies, including the preacademic years, everytime we came back from school, the first thing every foreign student used to do was to go directly to your bed to cry for some minutes before gathering yourself to know what to eat and how to get prepared for to next day’s classes. Due to the shortness of the daylights in the winter times, we left our dormitory in the darkness and came back in the darkness as well, around 9:00 pm because of the time in the labs. But itw as a very great experience for people like me who knew what they were there for.

Starting from the fourth year of study, we had a class called “Tropical Veterinary Medicine,” thought by a teacher who spent years in Africa as a technical cooperation expert in Republic of Guinea Conakry. He then used to motivate us in the following terms: “You, my friends from developing countries, instead of considering staying abroad upon graduation, you better go back to your countries and serve your communities who are in need of your new skills. You have embraced a noble career, so, hold on to it…do not fear challenges, because without challenges you will never grow up; rather, embrace challenges and learn from them... You should be equiped with practical books, as much as you can...”.

Till today, these words continue to resound in me and I always want to fly higher and higher, professional speaking; I even consider taking some classes in Project management to complement and further my veterinary career.

You have observed significant changes in urban centres such as Lomé. How do urban populations practically relate to dogs and cats today? Do you see a Western-style concept of the "companion animal" emerging, or is it a distinct dynamic, unique to the local culture?

Good question! Actually, I have come to realize that increasing numbers of urban populations practically relate well with their dogs and cats according as if they want to copy the emerging western-style concept of “companion animals.” This is particularly remarkable on the weekends when dogs owners go for jogging or whenever they are going out as a family. In the first case, you see people harnessing their dogs and you will even hear some people talking to their dogs. Some other people even hold small plastic bags to be used in case their dogs need to ease themselves.

In the second case, it becomes common to see some family members carrying and kissing their cat (s) as if dealing with a human baby. Be it in the first case with dog owners or in the second case with cat owners, the new trend is that people nowadays consider their dogs and cats as their family members whom they make more room for in their family planning and resources allocation or budgeting, be it for health of feeding.  And that shows through their visits to veterinary centers and clinics.

In many African contexts, affection for a companion animal coexists with a utilitarian dimension (security, guarding, subsistence). How do you analyse this coexistence between genuine affection for the animal and its essential economic and practical role in daily life?

Actually, I consider that a good cement for a long-lasting coexistence between genuine/ inherent affection for an animal and affection based on essential economic and practical roles the animal plays in daily life is predetermined by at least two or three cardinal factors: the level of education of the guardian or host family and, obviously, the level of wealth or well-being of the host owner, and finally the presence of kids in the family, which necessarily is function of the first two factors.

It seems to me that in families with local culture, without a real breakthrough in the education or social well-being, affection for a companion animal is basically built on utilitarian dimension as mentioned above i.e the owner loves or values this animal because of what it provides to her or the family. On the other hand, I believe that people with modern education, with appreciable financial breakthrough /wellbeing and a solid religeous beliefs, affection for companion animal is more genuine and intrinsic and not based on the service rendered by the animal. 

However, although some well educated and relatively wealthy people might have strong affection for their animals, because of the breeds, performances and obviously the benefits, including the income generated from the sale of the offsprings, some other people might decide to show another level of affection to the same category of animals by sterilizing/overectomising their females to spare them from stressfull reproduction cycles, and by so-doing, add some additional days and wellness to the animals lives. 

Similarly, a person might also, by pure affection for her dog with a very protective instinct, decide to recrute a security personel for the job and allow the dog to rest instead of letting the dog suffer alone outside while the owner is resting. These are my points of view with the matter.

In several African countries, we now see companion animals (specifically working or patrol dogs) actively participating in anti-poaching operations and wildlife conservation. What is your vision of this alternative facet of the human-animal bond in the field?

I personally welcome this alternative facet of the human-animal bond where the dog becomes a true environmental security partner in the field, because this upgrades the dogs to a position of tactical partners to human officers in protecting endangered animal species and their habitats from hunters, knowing that these hunters of cause, are very dangerous to both wildlife officers and the endangered animals they protect.

Based on your firsthand experience, how can field-level veterinary medicine for companion animals become a direct lever for social empowerment and poverty reduction within these communities?

Actually the best outcome that can happen to an extension/field-level veterinarian (for companion animals) is to be readily accepted to play the role of a field-level veterinary Doctor in the full sense of the term. Because in developing countries, people see the veterinarian as a know-it-all, and when you visit a farmer, he/she expects you to be equally knowledgeable about all animal species’ problems; and moreover usefull to the whole community because not everybody in the community keeps the same animal species with the same problems. So, Nobody will truly accept a field-level veterinarian for companion animals with the same anthusiasm like a field-level veterinarian who is generalist, who apparently has more knowledge in livestock and poultry (which are farmers’ living saving), because:

• In developing countries, farmers do not earn (direct) income from their companion animals, although these contribute to keep the livestock and poultry; the companion animals are not part of the productive stock (the farmers’ income source) the livestock are farmers’ living saving, from which they can sell some to gain money for their financial problems such as health care for the rest of the animals (including the companion ones), health care for the family members, schooling, housing, food security and safety, clothing for the family... (agricultural harvests are kept in the barn for specific sales seasons when the prices are favorable (assuming also that the rainfalls also have been adequate for a good harvest). So, in the meantime, farmers’ livelihoods are derived from productive animals (ruminants and poultry), and never directly from companion animals.

• In developing countries, field-level veterinarians deal with small holder farmers, meaning that these farmers try as much as possible to keep all kind of animal species on their land to guaranty more resilience to potential shocks such as species-specific disease outbreaks for example. So, in order to gain the farmers’ attention, you should present yourself not as a specialist of companion animals, but as a know-it-all (not only assuming it), who can help them address the problems they are facing in their livestock health and production aspects. That is why a field-level veterinarian should be also specialized in Agricultural Development & Economics; but it would be better still, if a field-level veterinarian is also a Public Health (One Health) specialist to embrace animal-human-environment problems.

• In my case, I am simply somebody who likes challenges, creative, and I value learning by doing, and very importantly, I like to explore new areas of work as my professional multifacetedness pre-positions me.

In Togo, rabies remains a major threat to public health. In what ways does the fear of rabies literally shatter the bond of trust between humans and dogs, and how could your vaccination work help restore the safety of this bond?

As we all know, rabies-infected animals become unpredictable vectors capable of transmitting a 100% fatal disease, which moreover occurs through saliva of the vector. As a matter of fact, this inherent danger, and the resulting perception of rabied humans/animals force people to view dogs and cats as threats rather than companions. Consequently, this fear often leads to distrust and maltreatance of healthy, innocent but free-roaming dogs.

Regularly vaccinating dogs against rabies restors the bond by gradually reducing and eventually eliminating the fear of fatal infections. Mass vaccinations create a critical barrier that protects communities. This stops the cycle of disease, ending dogs’ maltreatance and bringing humans and dogs to safely coexist.

Could you explain to us why it is impossible to protect human family health without first treating and vaccinating the animals that share their environment?

It is impossible to protect human family health without first treating and vaccinating the animals that share their environment because, if your pet is bitten by a rabies-suspect animal or if it simply licks the saliva of such animal, and then comes into contact with you, your family, or your neighbors, everyone is automatically at risk. But by periodically deworming and vaccinating your pets, you are creating a critical barrier not only between rabies-supect dogs or animals, but also between wildlife reservoirs of rabies and your pets and the people in your life.

To conclude: after a 35-year career spanning international science and the raw reality of the field, what is the core lesson they have taught you, and what legacy would you like to pass on to future generations of veterinarians? Do you believe in the human-animal bond as a universal value to be protected? Does it represent a Noble Alliance?

With a retrospective overview of my career pathway to date, I can unapologetically and boldly affirm that the veterinary field is one of the most intricated professional fields one can imagine. As a matter of fact, intrinsic love for animals, empathy and moral concern toward them and deep self-devotion should be the few among the criterion to be met by any candidate to a veterinary career. The ideal  veterinarian should be readily willing to learn new, complementary skills that would allow them to always keep a step ahead of their colleagues. With humility, I consider that a veterinarian should be  mentally and emotionally predisposed to work in extrem conditions thanks to their adaptability  skills. They also need to cultivate strong observation skills since animals cannot communicate verbally.

Do you believe in the human-animal bond as a universal value to be protected? Does it represent a Noble Alliance?

Yes, I strongly believe in the human-animal bond as universal value to be protected. The emotional significance of animals in human lives can be seen in ancient burials that included pets alongside their human owners, demonstrating the enduring nature of this relationship. Similarly, the animals that we coexist with in the present days live within humans-built environment, so this bond continues to shape and be shaped as society progresses. Yes, this represents a Noble Alliance indeed! Thank you!!!