The North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development calls on all domestic animals owners to join forces in preventing the spread of the deadly Rabies disease, by ensuring that their animals get vaccinated. The call comes in the wake of the month-long awareness and vaccination campaigns, which the Department has embarked upon throughout the Province.
During these campaigns, the Department’s Veterinary Animal Health Technicians and State Veterinarians are vaccinating pets like dogs and cats against the disease, and educating communities about how rabies is spread, how it is treated, and the preventative measures available for both humans and animals.
“When people know about rabies, understand how it is transmitted and what to do when a person is exposed to the virus, lives are saved”, says MEC for Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Desbo Mohono.
Rabies is a preventable yet fatal viral disease, which is found in domestic and wild animals, and occasionally in humans. The rabies virus which is found in the saliva of an infected animal, is transmitted from animals to humans/animals through bites, licks and scratching.
Humans can be infected through the broken skin or mucous membrane, after coming into contact with an infected animal.
According to Dr Langa Madyibi, Director for Veterinary Services within the Department, domestic animals should be vaccinated at three months of age and have their first booster between one and nine months, after which they must get the booster vaccinations every year, as required by the Animal Disease Act (Act 35 of 1984).
Madyibi advised communities to look for behavioural changes in their animals like, aggressiveness, dumbness, paralysis or partially paralysis, or excessive salivation, as they are common signs and symptoms of rabies.
“In humans, flu-like fever, headache and fatigue which progress to involve respiratory, gastrointestinal or central nervous system are common symptoms of infection. Signs of hyperactivity in a furious form or paralysis are also common” explained Dr Madyibi who maintains that human beings die during the first seven days of illness.
Owners are urged to ensure that they observe the legal requirement of vaccinating their domestic animals, more so the vaccination is administered at a free cost.
For more information on where vaccination will be carried out in different areas of the Province, communities are encouraged to contact the Department’s State Veterinary offices found in all the Districts. World Rabies Day will be commemorated on the 28th of September.
Enquiries:
Bonolo Mohlakoana
Communication Services Directorate
Tel: 018 389 5719/5684
Cell: 082 901 2435
Fax: 018 384 4571
Email: Bmohlakoana@nwpg.gov.za or mohlakoana.bonolo@gmail.com
