Pet owners welcome free rabies immunization

This week the Municipality of Swakopmund in collaboration with the Veterinary Services Department carried out free immunization for dogs and cats.

 The team set up in different venues allowing residents of the different suburbs access. This week-long exercise ends today in the DRC area. Pet owners turned up to take advantage of council’s initiative. Various platforms were used to inform the public resulting in a satisfactory turnout.

Rabies is a fatal viral disease that affects humans and mammals causing inflammation of the brain.

According to Dr August from the Veterinary Services, rabies is a deadly disease passed on to humans from animals; especially dogs. As the virus is found in the saliva, any contact with an open wound from an infected dog can be lethal. She further stated that vaccination and immunisation is essential as dogs and cats are part of our families.

99% of all human rabies cases originate from virus transmission from dogs. Children under the age of 15 constitute 50% of human victims. Once infected, humans may experience a range of symptoms including fever, malaise, agitation, convulsions or death.

Due to the prevalence of the disease, dog owners are encouraged to immunize their dogs at the age of three months, one year and every three years after that.

There are suggestions to provide stringent by-laws on the keeping of pets as well as a control of stray dog populations.