In the past, one would hear elders’ speakers about their favourite pets, whom they loved as a family member. These dogs would fight with other stray dogs and then eventually get rabies from the bite of a rabid animal. However, these tales are no longer heard lately as the cases of rabies in the state has reduced with the efforts of NGO, Mission Rabies, a countrywide initiative, who have been continuing their state-wide dog vaccination campaign throughout the year.
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system of mammals, including humans. The rabies virus is particularly present in the saliva and brain of infected animals, most commonly dogs, and is transmitted by a bite. With a fatality rate of almost 100 percent in humans and animals alike, rabies remains a global threat.
September 28 is earmarked as the 17th World Rabies Day with the theme ‘All for 1, One Health for all’ which highlights that health is not for a selected few but for everyone. Lorna Fernandes, member of Goa civic and consumer action network (Goacan) SAYS, “We are pushing for the Village Panchayats AND Municipal Councils to start the registration of dogs. We are also encouraging those residents of housing societies who feed stray dogs to do so in an organised manner. There should be fixed location and fixed timings so that all other residents of the society are aware of the location and timings. Proper signage should be displayed so that visitors to the housing society understand this service offered.”
Eminent veterinarian Dr Gustavo Pinto explains that pet owners regularly vaccinate their pets, “The first dose is administered after two months of birth and then a booster shot is given the following month. After that, Rabies vaccinations should be administered every year. Most pet owners, who have pups born in the house, if the mother is vaccinated, then they are already vaccinated. If a stray cat or dog is taken to a home, they should be given a booster shot. The dose is the same for a cat or an elephant, it doesn’t depend on the animal,” explains Dr Gustavo.
Just this month, in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, a 14-year-old boy died of rabies. He was bitten by his neighbour's dog over a month ago and hid the incident from his parents. He contracted rabies and started behaving abnormally and stopped eating. This news did create panic among some parents. Fortunately, in Goa, every pet owner is well aware about the vaccinations for their furry friends. “In my 42 years of service, I have not come across a single case of a human being dying of rabies in Goa. Thanks to Mission Rabies, rabies is reduced to the borders of Goa and in a great extent, it made the state 100 percent Rabies free,” says Dr Gustavo.
On account of World Rabies Day (The Rabies Awareness Day), a programme will be organised at Goa Science Centre Auditorium, Miramar on September 29, at 9 am by the Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services and will include the inauguration of the Static Point Vaccination Campaign, inauguration of dog micro chipping, and neutering Project for Panjim City Phase-II, inauguration of Dog Population Control ABC Project for Margao City to sterilize 2500 dogs, Rabies Awareness Doggie Float and Children Rally and exposure to technology and viewing of the Science Museum by almost 400 children.
Mission Rabies was launched in Goa in 2014, after the state was identified as an ideal location to set the standard for rabies elimination across India. “Over the last nine years, the progress of the organisation has led Goa to become the first Rabies controlled state in India, followed by Kerala and Mumbai city. The Goa Model will also be followed by 14 South Asian countries,” says Dr Murugan Appupillai, director of Mission Rabies.
Gregory D’Monte is a caregiver and along with Shilpa Ganguly has been feeding 30 stray dogs for 14 years. “According to the recently released notification, the Policy lays down important features of the Street Dog Feeding Arrangements that must be followed in order to ensure harmony between the street dogs and the community residents. Now the monsoon in Goa extends to nearly 7-8 months and when you feed the dogs, their food gets wet. They need proper shelter for feeding areas. It is important that the different departments cooperate and provide their support. There should be a single window approval for building feeding shelters. Goacan, Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services and Mission Rabies are doing a great job, but there is a still lot more to do to ensure for stray dogs,” says Gregory