• Says Rabies Claims 59,000 Lives Yearly

Dog owners have been urged to vaccinate their pets to protect against rabies, a deadly disease responsible for approximately 59,000 human deaths worldwide each year.

The Chairperson, Community Outreach and Public Health Committee of the Small Animal Veterinary Association, Nigeria (SAVAN), Prof. Adedayo Akande, revealed that rabies affects two-thirds of countries globally.

She expressed concerns that children are often the most frequent victims of bites from rabies-infected dogs, with a life lost every nine minutes.

Speaking on this year’s World Rabies Day, with the theme, ‘Act Now, You, Me, Community!’ Akande stated that rabies is entirely preventable if everyone plays his or her part, especially through the vaccination of all dogs worldwide.

She emphasised that achieving a 70 per cent vaccination coverage among the global dog population, as recommended by the World Animal Health Organisation (WAOH), is key to protecting dogs and reaching the goal of rabies’ elimination by 2030.

She encouraged individuals to inspire others, support local rabies’ elimination efforts, organise vaccination drives, and educate families as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen rabies control programmes.

“Collective action is crucial, as eliminating rabies depends on everyone acting promptly.”

Akande also mentioned that many government and some private veterinary clinics are providing free rabies vaccinations in honour of the day’s event, which aims to raise awareness for the global elimination of rabies by 2030.

She noted existing laws in Nigeria mandate dog vaccinations and restrict free-roaming dogs, but expressed concern that these laws are poorly enforced by security agencies, troubling veterinarians and animal welfare advocates.

The annual anti-rabies vaccine for dogs costs between N10,000 and N12,000, she disclosed.