The Oyo State Government has mandated residents of the state to vaccinate their dogs and cats against the dreaded rabies disease.
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The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, gave the directive while drawing the attention of residents of the state to the importance of such vaccination.
Olaleye said: “All dogs and cats owners who have not vaccinated their pets should do so immediately by visiting the veterinary centers in the state.”
He hinted that from research, majority of rabies cases involve dog bites, hence the present government in the state is sensitising the general public on the need to keep their dogs or animals in confined areas and vaccinate them regularly.
The commissioner noted that it is against the Oyo State Dog Law 2019 to allow dogs to rove around without the owner, asserting that the best way to prevent rabies in humans is by vaccination of dogs and cats, at least once a year as human rabies death, according to research, is 100 percent preventable with prompt vaccination of dogs and cats.
He explained that having discovered that over 70 percent of infectious diseases in humans originate from animals- Zoonotic, the state government has embarked on an all-inclusive method to control rabies and other zoonotics diseases, disclosing that the government has executed free mass vaccination of cattle under the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) initiative.
Olaleye noted that the government, in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Livestock Productivity and Reseilince Support Project (L-Press), on the 19th of August, 2024, trained veterinary officers.
The commissioner, however, affirmed that refusal to vaccinate dogs and pets annually is an offence against the Oyo State Dog Law 2019, which attracts a fine of N250,000 or six months imprisonment, or both.
Reacting to the directive, the Chairman, Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association, Oyo State Chapter, Dr John Famoyin, commended the state government for its various efforts in preventing zoonotics diseases.
Famoyin, however, urged government at all levels to ensure implementation of the Dog Law across board in the state.
The 2024 World Rabies Day was marked on September 28, 2024, with the theme “Breaking Rabies Boundary.”
Oyo State marked the event with a programme that brought together veterinary professionals, pet owners, and community members, in a united front against the deadly disease.
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