Following two rabies cases in the Western Cape recently, and the inoculation of animals in surrounding areas, the province’s department of agriculture has taken its vaccination campaign further afield.
In a statement, agriculture MEC Dr Ivan Meyer confirmed that the vaccination campaign kicked off in Klapmuts, located outside Paarl.
The campaign, to ensure that pets are inoculated against the devastating rabies virus, forms part of the department’s initiative to bring free clinical services to animals in needy communities.
Commenting on the recent rabies scare in Khayelitsha, Meyer says, “We have concluded the rabies vaccination campaign near the two rabies cases identified in Khayelitsha. Veterinary services and our partners vaccinated 1 698 dogs and cats within a 1km radius of the site where the two infected dogs lived.”
Meyer also expressed his gratitude to animal welfare organisations for supporting the rabies campaign in Khayelitsha.
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“I would like to thank the staff of all the animal welfare organisations who assisted with the campaign. Their support enabled us to vaccinate a large number of animals over this period. We will also continue to supply rabies vaccines to those organisations willing to support veterinary services in the fight against rabies.”
Despite the Covid-19 hard lockdown in 2020, the department’s veterinary services vaccinated 74 083 dogs and cats against rabies.
“These interventions, in particular, made a noticeable difference to the welfare of animals in communities across the Western Cape,” concludes Meyer.
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