Durban - Vaccinate your pets against rabies, urged the Kloof and Highway SPCA after a spike in cases was reported.
The SPCA had seen a drastic increase in rabies cases in the past two months. Since the beginning of 2021, eight dogs and a cat have tested positive for rabies, a total of nine cases in 60 days compared to only three cases in the whole of 2020.
Spokesperson Janine Kyle said some animals were strays with no history and some were owned, living in homes with their families and sadly coming into contact with many people and animals before being brought to the Kloof and Highway SPCA.
“There have been 2 human deaths from rabies reported in KwaZulu-Natal. A 2-year-old and a 10 year-old-child. We had 24 cases of rabies in KZN since the start of 2021.”
The Kloof and Highway SPCA urged the public to ensure their pets were vaccinated against rabies as well as exercise caution when approaching stray animals.
“If you find a stray animal you are not familiar with, only approach if it is safe to do so and absolutely necessary. In the event of being bitten or scratched, immediately wash the area very well and flush under running water and immediately seek medical attention. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal with no proof of vaccination, you will be required to go for a costly course of rabies vaccinations treatment,” said Kyle.
She said rabies was fatal and the threat of it should not be taken lightly.
“We strongly advise against keeping any stray animals with the rising threat of rabies.”
The cases so far this year include eThekwini (14) with most cases being south of the city, Mandeni (3), uMhlathuze (2), Umfolozi (1) and uMshwati (1).
The last spike in rabies cases in the province was in September and claimed the lives of three children in the eThekwini municipality between July and September, according to the provincial Department of Agriculture.
For any animal-related emergencies during office hours, call 031 764 1212 and for after hours emergencies contact 073 335 9322.
Daily News