We already know what rabies is. It's that virus that causes neurological problems to both the biter and the "bitee". It's known to us that whenever a dog who has rabies bites a human, most likely this dog will die within 2 weeks. It's a rare case that an animal having rabies doesn't pay the price of having bitten.
Look at Old Yeller, he had to be shot by his own master because he went crazy. The first time I saw this movie, I had tears streaming in my eyes even after the credits were rolling. I was such a sucker for dog movies back then... 'til now.
So my first question would be, are there dogs with rabies who survives the biting? I think I'll have to further research on that.
Back to the main topic, the prevalence of giving your doggy rabies shots differ from state. In our country, we're encouraged to have our dogs vaccinated once a year. Since most of the people here cannot afford veterinary visits, the mayor either mandates a visit to the dog pound or the ones doing the shots go to every portion of the city wherein people can bring their dogs to a center near them to get vaccinated for free.
Some cities in the Philippines require dog registrations. Although a hassle, I personally prefer that kind of system. With each registration is a free vaccination. People pay approximately $1-2 to have each dog registered.
In Marikina City, all dogs in your household require registration. Owners need to provide a picture of the pooch to be included with the papers. This is different from what they call "papers" for purebred dogs. Once a dog is successfully registered, the owner can now bring him to the dog pound to be injected.
Not everyone follow these rules. However, the perks of having your dog registered is that whenever he gets caught wondering the streets, you won't have to be fined an exorbitant amount ranging from $10 or more. A neighbor of ours eventually gave up on paying for her Japanese Spitz because it was caught twice. I was pretty disappointed at them because they felt that it wasn't practical anymore to get their Spitz out of the pound due to the expensive fine. Had they registered him, this wouldn't have happened.
Very interesting post - none of us want Rabies!!
ReplyDeleteI've had all my shots as it's mandatory here in the US - when my Mum lived in Europe you only needed to get these shots for your Dogs if you wanted them to travel and so applied for a pet passport - her Dogs always had them as she moved location pretty often....
Have a fun day,
Your pal Snoopy :)
Rabies are a nasty thing! I'm so glad it's the law here in the states.
ReplyDeleteDachshund Nola
Thanks for writing about this important issue! I was sobbing when I watched Old Yeller ... so sad.
ReplyDeleteHey guys, yes, rabies is a scary illness. Unfortunately, non pet-owners/ dog-lovers usually are misinformed about rabies.
ReplyDeleteGetting those shots are usually cheap, it's the hassle of bringing the dog to the vet or the pound that's making people decide to not have their dogs injected.
And sorry about the boring topic. The next post is about my created sweater. Just a warning, it sucked -.-
Not only is it law in my city to get the rabies vaccination, you must also microchip your pet and register it with the city. The city offers specials for low-income familes for shots and microchipping so there's not an excuse. There is a fine also if your animal is found without these things. I have to show proof of rabies vaccination to the groomers, since its the one of very few dog to human transmissible diseases that endanger humans. Good post :)
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