Rabies vaccination drive underway in Cambodia
Rabies is 100 per cent preventable through vaccination.
A rabies vaccination drive is now underway in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The drive is being undertaken by Mission Rabies, a project of Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS), which has recently merged with Dogs Trust.
As part of its overall plan to eradicate rabies globally, Mission Rabies aims to vaccinate 100,000 dogs against the disease in 10 days, making it the largest charity rabies vaccination drive in Cambodia to date. It will be undertaken by 120 project team members, made up of employees and volunteers from across the globe.
Approximately 59,000 humans die from rabies each year as a result of dog bites. It is a viral diseases that attacks the central nervous system, and once symptoms appear it is 100 per cent fatal to all mammals. It is also 100 per cent preventable through vaccination.
With the vaccination drive, Dogs Trust hopes to eliminate the threat of rabies to humans. In doing so, the charity also hopes to improve the attitude towards dogs worldwide, including roaming dogs. In countries where rabies is endemic, dogs are often killed indiscriminately and inhumanely.
Owen Sharp, chief executive of Dogs Trust said: “The project in Phnom Penh is well underway and is part of the goal to eradicate rabies carrying out a mass vaccination of dogs in the region and I’m delighted that we have vaccinated 35,000 dogs so far.
“WVS and Mission Rabies have done an outstanding job on this project, and it’s inspiring to see how it has been delivered on such an impressive scale – there are an estimated 120,000 dogs in the area and 60% of them are owned dogs which shows a level of care people have for them. We hope we can make a real long-lasting difference for dogs and their owners in Cambodia.”
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
