Take a Photo with Your Pet, Make a Donation” — FAVA and CHERRY for PET Join Forces to Fight Rabies

What if a photo taken to capture a special moment with your pet could also become a donation? The Asia-Pacific Federation of VMA (FAVA)’s FAVA Rabies Asia Committee (FRASC) and CHERRY for PET are launching international cooperation toward a “Rabies-Free Asia,” beginning with a participatory donation campaign using photo booths at veterinary hospitals. The initiative represents a new public-interest model that connects pet owners’ everyday participation with vaccine support and rabies prevention education.

On the 14th, FRASC under the Asia-Pacific Federation of VMA (FAVA) and CHERRY for PET, a blockchain-based animal welfare donation platform, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for rabies prevention and eradication at the main branch of Royal Animal Medical Center in Jungnang-gu, Seoul.

Under the agreement, the two organizations will jointly promote rabies vaccine support, vaccination campaigns, the development of veterinary medicine-based educational and promotional content, and the expansion of a donation culture that encourages pet-owner participation.

The key feature of the agreement is its participatory platform, which connects pet owners’ everyday actions with charitable giving. CHERRY for PET plans to launch a campaign in which photo booths installed at veterinary hospitals nationwide will turn each photo taken with a pet into a donation. The funds raised through the campaign will be used to support rabies vaccines, prevention education, and animal welfare initiatives.

Rabies is a representative zoonotic disease that can be effectively prevented through vaccination. However, according to FRASC, approximately 60,000 people die from rabies every year, with children accounting for about half of those deaths. Approximately three million animals are also affected by rabies each year.

The two organizations explained that they decided to pursue the partnership because they view rabies as a public health issue that must be addressed jointly by people, animals, and local communities.

The central slogan of the partnership is “One Asia, One Health, Zero Rabies.” Meaning “One Asia, One Health, Zero Rabies,” the slogan is based on the One Health concept, which recognizes that the health of people, animals, and communities is interconnected. It reflects the organizations’ commitment to expanding rabies prevention into a shared effort to protect public health and lives across Asia.

Heo Joo-hyung, president of FAVA, said, “Rabies is a disease that can be sufficiently prevented through vaccination, yet it continues to threaten lives in many countries. As South Korea also shares a border with North Korea, it is important to continue vaccination efforts consistently.”

He added, “Recently, there has also been growing awareness of zoonotic diseases such as severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), particularly amid extreme heat. Vaccination carried out at veterinary hospitals is one of the most effective ways to protect both people and animals.”

Jung In-sung, chair of FRASC, said, “Korea is a country that has successfully established a rabies management system, and many countries across Asia are interested in learning from its experience. We hope Korean companies will also actively participate in helping countries where rabies remains prevalent and contribute to eradicating rabies across Asia.”

He continued, “FRASC plans to hold a committee meeting in September to discuss measures for rabies prevention and improvements to relevant systems. We will continue international cooperation until the day when ‘Zero Rabies’ becomes a reality.”

Moon Doo-hwan, vice chair of FRASC, explained, “Rabies is not limited to dogs but can also occur in various mammals, including cattle and wild animals. In Korea, injectable vaccines and oral bait vaccine programs targeting raccoon dogs have played a significant role in prevention, but some Asian countries still lack such systems.”

He added, “If oral rabies vaccines that can be consumed by dogs and cats are developed in the future, more effective disease control will become possible even in countries where vaccination infrastructure is limited.”

Nam Sang-yi, co-CEO of CHERRY for PET, said, “War is a tragedy that we can only watch unfold, but rabies is a tragedy that we have not yet ended despite already knowing how to solve it. We will build an international public-interest platform where small acts of participation by pet owners can lead to vaccine support and help save the lives of children and animals.”

Lee Soo-jung, co-CEO of CHERRY for PET, said, “As a pet owner, it is meaningful to be part of an international project that helps save lives. Based on a transparent blockchain-based donation system, we will create a culture of giving in which more citizens and companies can participate naturally.”

CHERRY for PET is a public-interest platform specializing in companion animals, launched based on the experience of operating CHERRY, a blockchain-based donation platform. Its parent company, CHERRY, was launched through a support program backed by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA). To date, the company has experience managing cumulative donations totaling approximately KRW 26.2 billion.

Following the signing of the agreement, the two organizations plan to gradually expand their initiatives, beginning with the veterinary hospital photo booth campaign and moving into veterinarian-participation donation programs, corporate ESG initiatives, and vaccine support projects. Their ultimate goal is to establish a rabies prevention network involving veterinary associations, public-interest organizations, and companies across Asia.