In honour of World Rabies Day on September 28th, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA took proactive steps to combat the spread of rabies with two targeted vaccination campaigns. Aiming to protect both pets and people, the SPCA team stationed themselves at Muizenberg Beach and in the vulnerable area of Capricorn, vaccinating dogs for free as part of the global effort to eliminate rabies by 2030.
A One Health Approach to Combat Rabies
At Muizenberg Beach, the team specifically targeted dogs being walked off-leash by their owners. With rabies now endemic in Cape Fur Seals, that frequent the coastline, vaccinating dogs has never been more essential. In Capricorn, where veterinary care is often inaccessible and financial barriers to care exist, the SPCA provided free vaccinations to dogs, ensuring that even the most vulnerable pets are protected.
A Unified Global Effort
The event was supported by the International Companion Animal Management Coalition (ICAM), which praised the SPCA’s efforts.
Dr Elly Hiby, Director of the International Companion Animal Management (ICAM) Coalition stated, “It was inspiring to see this dedicated team in action, protecting both pets and people by vaccinating dogs against this fatal but preventable disease using a #OneHealth approach.”
Protecting Pets, People, and Wildlife
Jon Friedman, head of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA’s Wildlife Department, stressed the importance of vaccination in addressing the growing rabies threat: “Rabies has long existed in other mammals on the peninsula, including the grey mongoose, bat-eared foxes, Cape serotine bats, and even grey squirrels. However, the recent detection of the virus in Cape Fur Seals is new to us. Given that rabies is now endemic in our Cape Fur Seal population, and that one confirmed case of seal-to-canine transmission has occurred, vaccinating dogs is crucial to safeguarding both human and animal lives.”
Let’s Make Rabies History
By vaccinating dogs at no cost to their owners, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA is contributing to the global fight against rabies. The initiative is part of the broader #ZeroBy30 campaign, which aims to eliminate rabies deaths by 2030.
Only vaccination and education, make achieving this goal a reality.
For more information on how you can protect your pets contact our mobile clinics.