For the protection of the populace, the Kwara State Government has again pleaded with owners of cats and dogs that can transmit rabies to make sure that their pets are vaccinated.
This was stated in a statement made in honor of World Rabies Day this year by the commissioner for agriculture and rural development, Mallam Gidado AbdulLateef Alakawa.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization support the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) in organizing the annual September 28 awareness-raising and advocacy day for the goal of eradicating rabies worldwide (FAO).
The statement claims that since cats and dogs are the main carriers of the disease in our society, rabies is a disease that may be prevented and controlled with vaccine.
Under the direction of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the state government launched a statewide anti-rabies campaign in July of this year in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
This year’s anti-rabies campaign has the slogan “One Health, Zero Death” to draw attention to the interdependence of the environment, people, and animals.
The statement further urged cat and dog owners to take advantage of the ongoing free mass anti-rabies vaccination program for their pets, which is being offered at area veterinary offices throughout the state and the ministry headquarters along Old Jebba road in Ilorin from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm on working days.
Yusuf Ganiyu Adebisi
Press Secretary
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.