1 September 2007
The provincial Departments of Agriculture, Health and Education, launched an
Anti-Rabies Campaign on Saturday (1 September) as officials positioned
themselves at strategic points in both the Diamond Pavilion and the Barkly Road
Malls in order to create awareness about this fatal but preventable
disease.
This comes after an increase in the number of rabies cases over the last few
years, both in humans and animals throughout the world, which prompted the
Rabies Alliance (an alliance of research and control institutions worldwide) to
organise a 'World Rabies Day' to take place on Saturday, 8 September.
The increase has also affected South Africa and in the Northern Cape, the
animal Rabies situation in the Springbok area is the most worrying one, as it
seems as if, since May 2006, the area from Springbok to Aggeneys has been
experiencing high incidences of this disease in the Bat-eared fox. Furthermore,
(in the past year) 11 brain samples of animals from the Springbok area were
sent for diagnosis of which nine came back positive. The situation requires
intensive analysis and this will be further followed up by the Department of
Agriculture. Throughout the rest of the province, a further 35 samples were
sent for diagnosis of which 11 came back positive.
It is thus very important that dogs and cats are vaccinated to reduce the
risk of spreading the virus to people and animals. Young animals should be
vaccinated twice in the first year and then every three years. The vaccine is
safe and will not make your animals sick. Rabies vaccines are freely available
at all state veterinarian offices. They are also available at all private
veterinarians with the payable consultation fee of R20. According to the
Department of Agriculture's records, in the past year, a total of 8 317 dogs, 1
827 cats and 13 other animals were vaccinated in the province.
It is further very important that the state veterinarian is immediately
notified if animals are seen to be acting strangely and if rabies is suspected.
People are also warned not to handle, or go near strange animals or wild
animals that seem tame and do not run away from you, sick animals that are not
properly restrained, or animals that appear aggressive.
At the same time, people should realise that pets kept in adverse conditions
become aggressive and will bite to defend themselves. This was seen in Barkly
West, after a dog which reacted aggressively towards some people was put down
only for the laboratory result to come negative. A similarly unfortunate
incident was repeated when a kitten bit a child near Jan Kempdorp. People are
further asked to co-operate with the authorities, as their non-compliance can
prove detrimental to the community at large. This was seen when a Meerkat,
which was kept as a pet but disappeared, bit 10 people in a very short space of
time. The Meerkat was eventually reclaimed by the original owner who refused to
hand it over for further diagnoses.
Department of Agriculture and Land Reform contact numbers:
Office: Office number
De Aar: 053 631 2592
Calvinia: 027 341 1045
Springbok: 027 712 1311
Kimberley: 053 832 4242
Kuruman: 053 712 1030
Upington: 054 332 1531
Issued by: Departments of Agriculture and Health, Northern Cape Provincial
Government
1 September 2007
