Experts say more than 2,000 Kenyans and 60,000 people globally die from rabies - a deadly viral disease spread to people from the saliva of infected dogs and cats.
According to animal veterinary officer from African Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW) Dr Dennis Bahati, rabies is a fatal and deadly disease associated with pets like dogs and cats even though it sometimes spreads to donkeys.
He said a National Strategy for Rabies Elimination report developed by the national government of Kenya in 2014 showed that 5 counties in the country had the highest number of deaths and infections of people by rabies.
These burdened counties include; Machakos, Makueni, Kisumu, Siaya and Kitui Counties
Children most affected by rabies
Dr. Bahati said the most affected population is children less than 10 years of age.
“These children are the ones who keep these animals in our families. They want to play with them or hold them and it is important to ensure these animals are treated so that they do not transfer rabies disease to the public,” the animal doctor said.
It’s from this knowledge that the national government in collaboration with partners and county governments initiated a mass anti-rabies campaign to vaccinate dogs and cats and educate the public on the disease in the five counties.
Speaking during a five-day animal welfare exercise in Masii town, Mwala Sub County, Machakos County, Dr Bahati said the free sterilizing event is basically aimed at vaccinating, spaying and neutering cats and dogs in order to control the number of stray cats and dogs and their increase in the county.
“I know there is quite a lot of misconception and misinformation out there that people do not want their animals to be sterilized because of cultural reasons. But this incident is important because it will reduce the population of wandering dogs rooming around homes and in the streets which pose a risk of biting our children,” the doctor added.
Photo/Patrick Mutisya.
Speaking to K24 Digital, Dr Lisa McCarthy from Colorado America said it’s quite unfortunate that many cats and dogs in Kenya are infected with rabies and pose a big risk to the children.
The animal doctor who has specialized in spaying and neutering dogs and cats said the best option to eliminate rabies in Kenya is to vaccinate as many animals as possible.
She added that if the population of stray dogs and cats in the streets and around homesteads is reduced, fewer bites will be witnessed resulting in fewer deaths of people who die from rabies disease.
“Rabies is a disease that can be controlled if quick action on anti-rabies vaccination, Spaying and Neutering of Dogs and Cats is done,” she said.
Spaying and neutering is a form of sterilizing animals through surgery so that they won’t produce any more.
The veterinary officers targeted to vaccinate, Spay and Neuter more than 1,000 cats and dogs in the five-day exercise where they urged the public to take advantage of such occasions and treat their animals to prevent calamities.
