Food and Veterinary Agency urges rabies vaccinations

The Food and Veterinary Agency (AHV) has issued an urgent appeal to pet owners to ensure regular vaccinations against rabies, marking the 20th World Rabies Day under the theme ‘Stronger Together’. The agency emphasizes that while rabies claims a human life every nine minutes globally, death from the disease is 100% preventable through vaccination and timely reporting.

To combat the disease, the AHV is focusing on expanding canine vaccination access, improving surveillance systems, and increasing public awareness. The agency is also conducting the ‘Stop Rabies – Report and Prevent’ campaign, which encourages citizens to report dead animals, particularly foxes and other wild carnivores, via a free hotline.

In a significant move to manage the wild population, the AHV has resumed oral vaccination campaigns for foxes for the first time in three years. This aerial distribution of 450,000 vaccine baits began on September 23 and is expected to conclude by October 2, aiming to improve the epidemiological situation for both wildlife and domestic animals.