World Rabies Day

World Rabies Day – 28^th September

World Rabies Day is an annual awareness day, created to draw attention to the humans and animals affected by rabies. It’s a chance to raise awareness of rabies, to support programs that are trying to eliminate human deaths from dog-transmitted rabies, and to protect dogs from culling. So on World Rabies Day, organisations highlight the importance of dog vaccinations and raise funds for both animal and human vaccination programs.

Rabies kills ten thousand of people every year. Over 10 million dogs are also culled every year in misguided attempts to control the disease.

What is rabies?

Rabies is a disease that spreads between mammals. It attacks the central nervous system and killed an estimated 59,000 people every year, many of them are children under 15.

Rabies is a serious public health problem in over 150 countries, primarily in Asia and Africa. And the World Health Organization (WHO) has set a goal to end human deaths from dog transmitted rabies by 2030.

How rabies gets transmitted?

Rabies spreads via saliva. So if a rabid animal bites, scratches or licks a person’s eyes, nose, mouth, or an open wound, the person can catch rabies.
Dog bites and scratches cause 99% of human rabies cases. Other mammals, including bats, racoons, and foxes, also spread rabies. 

5 Things Every Pet Parent Should Do:

1. Keep Rabies Vaccination Up to Date

2. Avoid Unknown Animal Contact: Don’t allow pets to interact with unfamiliar or stray animals.

3. Teach children safe ways to interact with pets.

4. Act Quickly After a Bite or Scratch: Wash the wound with soap and running water for 15 minutes and seek medical care immediately.

5.Spread Rabies Awareness: Encourage fellow pet parents to vaccinate their pets and learn basic rabies safety.