The WVS Data Collection App

What is the WVS App?

The WVS Data Collection App was developed by our team in response to challenges encountered during large scale canine vaccination campaigns - it has now evolved into so much more.

The WVS App is a powerful tool that helps our teams and other organisations deliver animal welfare and One Health initiatives efficiently and cost-effectively. This includes effectively monitoring and managing field teams, capturing data, and reporting the impact of interventions. The app is used for collecting surgical records, conducting animal population surveys, recording canine vaccinations, and so much more. With its simple interface and the ability to work without mobile data, the app is ideal for campaigns in the field.

What can the WVS App be used for?

The WVS App in action: Mission Rabies

The WVS App has enabled our teams on our project, Mission Rabies, to carry out our mass vaccination programmes systematically and efficiently. Areas are divided up into working zones on the app and teams work through these during a campaign. Information about every dog is entered onto the app and this provides us with valuable data that feeds into the management of vaccination campaigns in real time. Once a team has reported their working region as complete, post-vaccination surveyors are sent in to estimate the vaccination coverage.

If that number comes back as above 70%, that working region can be marked as completed until next year. With our app, GPS data is collected with every entry allowing geospatial analysis of our field work and ensuring that no area is repeated or missed. The app has been pivotal in all aspects of our rabies control programmes, from vaccination delivery to research and dog population surveying.

“Every project must ensure 70% of dogs are vaccinated to establish herd immunity in the local canine population. Our smartphone app helps us measure this in a scientific manner, indicting areas where further vaccination work is required and directing teams on the ground to respond to rabies outbreaks.”

Andy Gibson, Director of Strategic Research at WVS