Free rabies vaccinations in Empangeni
The clinic is being held between 8am and 3pm on Tuesday, 15 March
After two confirmed cases of rabies in the Nyala Park suburb in Empangeni, the Department of Agriculture is holding a rabies awareness campaign and offering free vaccinations.
Over the past month, two pets from two different homes have contracted this deadly disease.
Scheduled for between 8am and 3pm on Tuesday, 15 March, the awareness event will be held in the open space on the corner of President Swart and Main Road (opposite Five Ways Mall and next to Zululand Remedial Centre).
All pet owners are urged to make use of these free vaccinations for their animals.
It is a legal requirement that all pets are vaccinated annually against rabies, which can affect all animals, whether securely enclosed in a yard or not.
A dog in a yard can become infected if a dog carrying rabies walks down the street and the two come into contact through the fence or a hole in the gate.
‘Rabies is not a rural disease. It has no boundaries. Don’t think you are above the law, and don’t become a statistic,’ reads the Rabies Awareness Body in eShowe on its Facebook page.
The disease has been on the rise throughout KZN over the past few months, with some cases of humans contracting rabies.
There is no cure, and vaccinating animals against the disease is the only prevention.
What to do in the event of a bite or scratch from any animal that could have rabies:
• Wash any scratches or wounds under running water with soap for 10 minutes.
• Get to a doctor or hospital immediately for a course of four vaccinations.
• Do not let a clinic turn you away – insist on speaking to someone who can advise you about vaccination. If the clinic does not have vaccine, ask them to find out the nearest one that does.
• If you have a bite, you will also need injections of rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) into the wound.
