THE theme for this year’s World Rabies Day was ‘Educate. Vaccinate. Eliminate’. It emphasises the two crucial actions that communities can do to prevent rabies. It also reflects the global target to eliminate all human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030. A resident who has taken this message to heart is Redhill resident and Feeding the Furballs founder, Farrah Khan Maharajh.
She will host an outreach programme run in conjunction with the State Vet for free rabies injections and de-worming. The event will also help identify animals at the Kwa-Mathambo Informal Settlement for sterilisation. Maharajh said the event is open to all residents in the area and will be free.
“There was a need in our community and I decided to be proactive and do something instead of waiting for someone else to help us. I contacted the State Vet to help us vaccinate the local pets against rabies. Rabies occurs across the world and it’s a legal requirement to vaccinate your animals.
The outreach programme will be held on Friday, 14 October from 9am till midday on 1266 Old North Coast Road.
“The disease is fatal and can affect humans as well. The outreach event is educational driven. Knowledge is power and we are bringing help direct to our community’s door step. Our community are animal loving people and I want to help them in the spirit of Ubuntu.”
“We are trying to be central to the people that need help, the Kwa-Mathambo settlement is based nearby and some of the residents are pet owners that want to be responsible pet owners but need help so we are bringing help. We are hoping for a successful day so that we can come back at a later date and sterilise animals as well. The sterilisations would require some fundraising before we can move ahead with those plans.”
Marshall Security, as well as Hills Pet Nutrition SA, Marltons, Royal Canin, the State Vet and the KwaZulu Natal Cat Club will be involved.
