Rabies vaccination campaign extended to North Durban
Animal health technician, Titus Letsoalo, said they will now target Mount Edgecombe, Avoca, Greenwood Park and Red Hill in the three-day long campaign.
THE KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will host a second round of its free rabies vaccination programmes for dogs and cats in various areas from Tuesday, November 22.
Animal health technician, Titus Letsoalo, said they will now target Mount Edgecombe, Avoca, Greenwood Park and Red Hill in the three-day long campaign.
“It is compulsory for all domestic pets to be vaccinated against rabies, and failure to do so is illegal and a public health risk. We had an outstanding response from the north Durban community in our first round of vaccinations, and we hope more residents come out to support this drive. For us, it is also important to drive awareness campaigns to inform the public about rabies.
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“The important thing for us is to see people bringing their pets and doing the responsible thing. Most rabies infections occur through animal bites, but scratches or licks on broken skin are also possible routes of infection. Signs of rabies in animals include fearfulness, aggression, excessive drooling, difficulty swallowing, staggering and seizures. In South Africa, about 10 laboratory-confirmed human cases per year succumb to human rabies, which is present in all provinces in the country,” he said.
Letsoalo added that rabies can be prevented by vaccinating your animals and seeking treatment immediately after contact with a suspected rabid animal.
Free vaccination campaign:
Tuesday, November 22 (Greenwood Park)
From 09:00 to 10:00 at the playlot on Park Station Road.
From 10:30 to 11:30 at the playlot on the corner of Havelock Road and Park Station Road.
From 12:00 to 13:00 at the playlot on Rosary Road.
Wednesday, November 23 (Avoca)
From 09:00 to 10:00 at the sports field on Prince Mhlangana Road.
From 11:00 to 12:00 at the public park on Avoca Road.
Thursday, November 24 (Red Hill and Mount Edgecombe)
From 09:00 to 10:30 at the Firwood Road pool parking lot.
From 11:00 to 12:00 at the swimming pool on Umsimbithi Place and Silveroak Avenue.
For more information, contact Titus on 031 328 9300.
