Feven Melese leads a dog shelter in Addis Ababa, promoting adoption and sterilization to combat overpopulation and rabies.

In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 29-year-old Feven Melese is leading a grassroots effort to improve the lives of thousands of abandoned dogs. Running a shelter for 40 dogs and feeding around 700 weekly, she promotes responsible pet ownership, spaying and neutering, and adoption. Her work aims to shift public perception, urging people to see dogs as companions, not pests. Local officials are planning a dog registration and vaccination campaign, while Melese and volunteers advocate for mass sterilization, incentives for adoption, and better government support to address overpopulation and public health concerns like rabies.