Johannesburg - Holidaymakers who will be taking their pets with them to their destinations have been urged to vaccinate their animals before leaving.
According to the Gauteng Provincial Government it is important that proper health measures are taken to avoid the unnecessary spread of diseases, especially diseases such as Rabies, to both humans and animals.
Rabies affects the brain and can lead to the death of the person or animal if not treated immediately after contact with rabid animal or death of animal if not vaccinated in time. Symptoms include behavioral change, aggression, hallucinations and paralysis. The virus occurs in great numbers in the saliva of rabid animals.
The Gauteng Agriculture and Rural Development veterinary services chief director Dr Malcolm de Bude said people should inform the veterinarians at the nearest service point to intervene when they come across a suspected rabies-infected animal.
He stressed the importance of government and communities forging relations to defeat and avoid rabies.
"If people follow the guidelines on caring for their pets and rabies vaccinations, rabies outbreaks will be contained before the disease gets passed on to humans."
Since 2007, the Gauteng Agriculture and Rural Development veterinarians have vaccinated and treated close to 300 000 pets for rabies and other diseases such as distemper, internal and external parasites to date.
Animal lovers can contact the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's State Veterinary Services to find out when they will come to your area to vaccinate pets on (012) 328-5140 in Pretoria or (011) 821-7700 in Germiston.
