Proactively prevent and control rabies in animals

(QBĐT) - The situation of rabies in animals in the country in general and Quang Binh in particular is complicated. Currently, the province is actively implementing solutions to prevent and control rabies in animals, focusing on promoting vaccination for dogs and cats.

According to the report of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, from the beginning of 2022 to now, the province has not recorded any cases of animals infected with rabies or suspected cases of rabies, but there have been 7 deaths due to animal rabies (mainly dog bites). There have been no recorded cases of dogs infected with rabies because after biting people, most dogs were beaten to death; in addition, people did not notify local authorities and veterinary agencies for monitoring and supervision; people attacked by dogs did not go to medical facilities for consultation and rabies vaccination.

People of Dong Hoa commune (Tuyen Hoa) vaccinate dogs against rabies.

Although the functional sector has made many efforts, rabies prevention work on dogs and cats still faces many difficulties, especially the rate of dogs and cats vaccinated against the disease is still quite low. In 2023, the dog and cat population in the province is more than 71,000, but the rabies vaccination rate is only over 41.8% compared to the total population, some localities have a vaccination rate of less than 25% compared to the plan, such as: Bo Trach, Le Thuy and Minh Hoa.

With the goal of vaccinating at least 80% of the total herd (100% of the vaccination target), the relevant agencies are coordinating with local authorities to synchronously deploy many measures, focusing on propaganda and raising awareness among people in proactively vaccinating their pets and themselves when they are unfortunately bitten by dogs or cats. Many localities have proactively planned to propagate and provide funding to support people in getting rabies vaccination to limit and repel rabies, protecting people's health and lives.

In Dong Hoa commune (Tuyen Hoa), these days, grassroots veterinary staff are actively going to each house to vaccinate dogs and cats against rabies. Chairman of the Commune People's Committee Nguyen Tien Nam said: The whole commune has 860 dogs and cats. In previous years, people did not pay attention to rabies vaccination for animals, but since the death caused by a rabid dog bite, people's awareness of rabies vaccination has been significantly raised. In 2023, the whole commune vaccinated more than 85% of dogs and cats with PCBD vaccine. In 2024, 90% of people registered to vaccinate dogs and cats and the locality has now started the first round of vaccination.

Mr. Tran Van Phuc, Dong Giang village said: "In rural areas, people mainly raise dogs and cats to let them roam freely. When the sun comes, the risk of rabies is very dangerous. Therefore, regular rabies vaccination for animals is very necessary."

Currently, in Tuyen Hoa, the District People's Committee subsidizes 50% of the 3 types of vaccines, including: Lumpy skin disease, foot-and-mouth disease and anthrax, all of which are supported by the District People's Committee; rabies vaccines for dogs and cats are supported 100% (in particular, ethnic minorities in Thanh Hoa and Lam Hoa communes are subsidized 100% for the above vaccines). In 2023, the district has vaccinated 5,520/7,016 doses, reaching 79% of the plan. This is the leading locality in the province in providing 100% funding support for PCBD vaccines for dogs and cats in recent years.

In Hoa Trach commune (Bo Trach), the message "People raising dogs and cats when taking them to public areas must wear muzzles and be led by someone; owners are required to commit to complying with PCBD regulations" is always regularly included in conferences and broadcast on loudspeakers in the commune.

Vice Chairman of Hoa Trach Commune People's Committee Duong Viet Truong said: The locality is very interested in disease prevention and control for animals. Recently, the rabies situation has been complicated, the commune has focused on propaganda and vaccination of livestock. In 2023, the rabies vaccination rate reached 100% compared to the plan. Every year, the locality always fully and accurately counts the number of households raising dogs and cats and resolutely strictly handles dog and cat owners who do not comply with the regulations on rabies prevention according to regulations.

In order to improve the effectiveness of PCBD work for dogs and cats, Bo Trach district has directed communes and towns to review and accurately count the number of households raising dogs and cats in villages, neighborhoods, and households; establish a monitoring book and make detailed statistics to have specific plans and solutions to effectively implement rabies vaccination, ensuring the vaccination rate reaches over 70% of the vaccination area in 2024. To achieve the vaccination target and plan, the District People's Committee has also allocated funds to support 100% of the cost of purchasing rabies vaccines, chemicals, etc. for disease prevention, control, and vaccination in the area.

"To limit deaths from rabies, local health agencies need to increase inspection and monitoring of rabies in humans; and propagate and mobilize people to go to medical facilities for consultation and rabies vaccination after being bitten by dogs or cats," the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine recommended.

Head of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine Tran Cong Tam said: To effectively implement the PCBD, localities need to strengthen information and propaganda work, integrate into meetings, conferences, on the radio system of villages, hamlets, and residential groups about the dangerous nature, signs of recognition, and measures to prevent rabies in animals; enhance the responsibility of dog and cat owners in managing, monitoring, and tracking pets, declaring the number of dogs and cats raised, and complying with rabies vaccination; dogs and cats when brought to public areas must wear muzzles and be led by someone...

Along with that, localities need to fully and accurately count the number of households raising dogs and cats, the total dog and cat herd each year; guide owners to make commitments to comply with regulations on PCBD; promptly review and organize rabies vaccination for dogs and cats from the beginning of the year; strictly handle dog and cat owners who do not comply with regulations on rabies prevention; inspect and monitor the situation of animal rabies epidemics to promptly detect and report to the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine to organize inspections, collect samples for testing to determine the disease and implement PCBD measures locally...

Thanh Hoa

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