Protecting Pets, Saving Lives: The Mission Behind World Rabies Day

Every year, September 28 marks World Rabies Day, a global effort to fight a disease that
still claims around 59,000 lives every year, mostly in Asia and Africa. World Rabies Day reminds
us that rabies is preventable, and the time to act is now through continued awareness,
vaccination, and community effort. It was first launched in 2007 by the Global Alliance for
Rabies Control (GARC), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the World
Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and other partners.
The primary goal is to raise awareness, promote preventive measures, and encourage
vaccination programs, particularly in countries where rabies continues to pose a major threat.

Protecting Our Pets: The First Step in Saving Lives

Did you know that dogs are responsible for 99% of human rabies cases? That means
the first and most effective step in fighting rabies is simple: vaccinate your pets.
Here’s what responsible pet protection looks like:
🐾 Get your dogs and cats vaccinated on schedule.
🐾 Keep pets supervised to prevent contact with stray animals.
🐾 Report strays to local authorities so they can be vaccinated and managed.
When we protect our pets, we also protect our families and our communities.