Rabies prevention – NetAP | Network for Animal Protection

Rabies is a contagious viral infection. It is zoonotic, which means that it is also transmitted from animals to humans. Worldwide, dogs are the largest source of infection for rabies in humans. The virus is found in the saliva of a rabid animal and is usually transmitted through a bite or scratch. The incubation period is usually two to eight weeks. If left untreated, the disease is fatal.

Every hour a child dies from rabies.

According to estimates by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, around 59,000 people worldwide die from rabies every year, 95% of them in developing countries in Asia and Africa. A large proportion of the fatalities are children under the age of 15 who have been bitten by an infected dog and who have not been informed about the necessary life-saving behaviour in such a case. This makes the dog a feared, potential disease carrier. For this reason, around 20 million dogs a year, or 55,000 a day, are killed worldwide as a preventative measure, regardless of whether they are carriers of the virus.

Not knowing how to deal with the disease is one of the biggest problems. If action is only taken when symptoms appear, it is usually too late. Systematic vaccination campaigns combined with education and sustainable dog population management are the only way to effectively combat rabies.

As part of the NetAP neutering programmes, thousands of dogs and other animals are vaccinated against rabies every year. On the occasion of World Rabies Day on 28 September each year, we also raise awareness of the importance of rabies prevention through additional vaccination campaigns and educational brochures. These are written in the national languages as well as in the form of a picture story for people in areas with a high illiteracy rate. Each vaccination has a double protective effect: it not only protects the animal from the infectious disease, but also the people at the same time. In this way, animal protection also directly serves human protection!