The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has urged residents to vaccinate their dogs and cats following a rabies outbreak that has claimed two lives in the territory.
The victims, who were bitten by rabid dogs, died in Gwagwalada and Kwali Area Councils.
The Director of Veterinary Services in the FCTA Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Dr Karnak Dandam, disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday. He said the administration had intensified efforts to contain the outbreak while appealing to residents to promptly report dog bites and seek immediate medical attention.
Dandam described rabies as a deadly viral disease that attacks the central nervous system and is transmitted mainly through the bite of an infected dog or cat.
He warned that the disease is almost always fatal once symptoms develop, stressing that anyone bitten by a dog or cat should immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap and plenty of clean water before reporting to the nearest health facility for urgent treatment.
According to the director, eight laboratory-confirmed cases of rabies have been recorded in the FCT this year, comprising five in Gwagwalada Area Council and three in Kwali Area Council. Two people died after contracting the disease.
He explained that the cases, recorded between March and June, were confirmed by the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom, Plateau State.
Dandam said the FCTA conducted anti-rabies vaccination campaigns across the FCT in December 2025 and January 2026, but the exercise was affected by an inadequate supply of vaccines.
He stated that the administration had intensified public awareness campaigns, urging residents to vaccinate their pets and prevent them from roaming freely, thereby reducing the risk of exposure to infected animals.
He also advised pet owners to take their dogs and cats to designated public and private veterinary clinics for vaccination and certification.
The director disclosed that the FCT Administration had commenced the procurement of additional vaccine doses ahead of a mass vaccination campaign that will cover communities across the six Area Councils.
He said the initiative is aimed at ensuring all dogs and cats in the territory are vaccinated against rabies to safeguard public health.
Dandam further urged residents to pay close attention to sudden behavioural changes in their pets, noting that infected animals often become withdrawn before turning unusually aggressive and attacking people or objects without provocation.
He explained that as the disease progresses, affected animals may develop paralysis and eventually die within days of the onset of clinical signs.
The FCTA reiterated its commitment to strengthening disease surveillance, expanding vaccination coverage and working with residents to eliminate the threat of rabies across the Federal Capital Territory.
