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Article History

Received: 29 October 2025

Accepted: 17 February 2026

First Online: 7 March 2026

Declarations

:

: This study was conducted in accordance with the institutional research regulatory requirements applicable at the time of this study. Formal ethical review board approval from the National Health Research Council (NHRC) was not mandated for veterinary research or theses during the study period. However, administrative permission was obtained from the Institutional Research Committee of Himalayan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (HICAST) prior to conducting the study. Written informed consent was also obtained from all adult participants before conducting the survey, aligning with the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. Similarly, informed consent for students (< 18 years old) was obtained from all the school authorities, schoolteachers, and parents, and confidentiality was maintained. This permission ensured compliance with local institutional protocols but does not constitute national-level ethical clearance. The authors recognize that current ethical frameworks for veterinary or zoonotic disease research involving human participants emphasize the formal review obtained from the NHRC ethics committee to safeguard human welfare and ensure research integrity and standards align with international best practices.

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare no competing interests.