Dog killing not solution to end Rabies

By Dr Emily Mudoga and Lucy Wanjiku

The recent killing of dogs in Yatta, Machakos County is not only cruel but also needless. 82 dogs, two cats and one honey badger were killed for fear of spread of rabies.

Killing dogs to end rabies is misinformed and inhumane. Research and practice has over the years shown that dog vaccination is the sure way of eliminating rabies. Killing dogs is not the solution as it does not stop the disease; mass dog vaccination is the only proven solution.

Mass vaccination is cost-effective, humane and sustainable. Taking care of pets – dog and cats – ensuring that there have proper feeding, shelter and restrain ensures that free roaming dog population are reduced.

Mass dog vaccination benefits us all in three ways. First, dog vaccination acts as a barrier against transmission of rabies from the dog to humans. Dogs are the main reservoir host for human and canine rabies. Vaccinating at least 70%of dogs in an area creates ‘herd immunity’.

The vaccinated dogs form a barrier, slowing the spread of rabies until it dies out. By removing this main source of infection, rabies cases in dogs and other animal populations can be eliminated and human rabies deaths vastly reduced.

Vaccination is humane compared to mass dog culling; Millions of dogs are saved from needless inhumane culling that is driven by a fear of rabies; millions of cases of rabies in dogs are also prevented; vaccination promotes a more responsible and less fearful attitude towards dogs within communities.

Mass dog vaccination is cost-effective. Vaccinating dogs is not only more effective than culling dogs for controlling rabies, but it is also very cost-effective. As more dogs are vaccinated, fewer people are bitten by rabid dogs and this can greatly reduce the demand for costly human vaccines given for post-exposure treatment.

Fear of rabies is a major driving force causing millions of unnecessary dog deaths every year. Where rabies is endemic, so is cruelty to dogs. Mass vaccination addresses this fear and improves public attitudes to dogs.

During a cull, dogs are often rounded up and methods used to kill them include poisoning, gassing, electrocution, beating and shooting.  All often result in slow and agonising deaths.

Strychnine, for example, is administered using meat baits or darts. It causes violent convulsions and impaired breathing, which eventually kills the dogs. With baiting, they may experience extreme pain, for over an hour in some cases, throughout which they’re conscious.

Carbon monoxide, another method, is often administered via car exhaust fumes to dogs who have been herded into gas chambers. Lack of oxygen in the blood and depression of the central nervous system leads to respiratory arrest and eventually, death. During the gassing process, dogs howl, yelp and bark for about 7 minutes until they lose consciousness.

They take up to 20 minutes to die. It is important to note here that The World Organization for Animal Health considers the use of strychnine unacceptable on animal welfare grounds. It recommends capture and euthanasia of suspected dogs.

Why culling doesn’t pay in the long term

The spread of rabies does not depend on the density of dogs. Recent scientific studies show that the spread of rabies in very low-density dog populations is very similar to that in very high-density populations (even those that are one hundred times higher). Therefore, reducing the density of dogs through culling will not help control rabies.

Secondly, dogs will quickly repopulate areas after having been removed through culling. Areas where dogs have been culled will quickly be repopulated, because families who have lost dogs often buy or adopt new, unvaccinated dogs and un-owned dogs may also rapidly migrate in from neighbouring areas, which will introduce new risks of infection. In culling programmes, vaccinated dogs are often also killed, and culling can therefore lead to a decline in population or herd immunity and exacerbate the spread of rabies.

The ‘One Health’ approach

Rabies is incurable once clinical symptoms and signs start to show. However, it is preventable if dealt with effectively. The ‘One Health’ approach encourages all relevant agencies to work together locally, nationally and internationally to achieve the best possible health for people, animals and the environment. It’s about pooling efforts, resources and expertise to achieve the best outcome.

Mass dog vaccination, together with effective management of disease risk in humans, is the only humane, sustainable and effective ‘One Health’ response. Over time, rabies in dogs is eliminated, as is the main threat to human health. This approach will reduce the human, animal and financial cost of the disease.

Dr. Emily Mudoga is the Companion Animals Manager and Lucy Wanjiku is the Head of Communications both of World Animal Protection