Oyo Orders Residents To Vaccinate Dogs, Cats Against Rabies

Reported by Ayooluwa Afolabi

The Oyo State Government has mandated that residents of the state vaccinate their dogs and cats against the disease dreaded rabies.

According to the Independent, the mandate was contained in a release issued today, by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, drawing the residents’ attention to the importance of such vaccination.

Recall that this year’s World Rabies Day was marked on September 28, 2024, with the theme “Breaking Rabies Boundary.”

Oyo State marked the event with a program that brought together veterinary professionals, pet owners, and community members in a united front against this deadly disease.

Olasunkanmi said, “All dog and cat owners who have not vaccinated their pets should do so immediately by visiting the veterinary centers in the state”.

Barrister Olasunkanmi hinted that from research, the majority of rabies cases involve dog bites hence the present Government in the State is sensitizing the general public on the need to keep their dogs or animals in confined areas and vaccinate them regularly.

He said that it is against the Oyo State Dog Law 2019 to allow dogs to move around without their owner.

According to him, the best way to prevent rabies in humans is by vaccination of dogs and cats, at least once a year.

The Commissioner said 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, Oyo State Government has embarked on an all-inclusive method to control rabies and other zoonotic diseases.

Olaleye said the government has executed free mass vaccination of cattle under the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) initiative.

He added that the Government in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-Press) on the 19th of August, 2024, trained veterinary Officers.

Olasunkanmi, however, added that refusal to vaccinate dogs and pets annually is an offense against the Oyo State Dog Law 2019, with a fine of Two Hundred and Fifty Naira (#250,000) only or six months imprisonment or both.

In a related development, the Chairman Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association, Oyo State Chapter, Dr. John Famoyin commended the Oyo State Government for its various efforts in preventing zoonotic diseases noting that September 28th every year is World Rabies Day.

He however urged the Government at all levels to ensure the implementation of the Dog Law.