Rabies: understand it to defeat it

World Rabies Day is almost here and this year’s theme is Rabies: understand it to defeat it.

We want to make sure that those living with the risk of rabies understand how it is transmitted, how to prevent exposures, and what to do if bitten or scratched by a rabid animal.

Although we coordinate and support World Rabies Day events and resources, it belongs to everyone, and every year we are humbled by individual stories of dedication.

This year in Syria, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Al Baath University will be handing out leaflets to children in refugee centres.

And in Kolkata, India, there’s a drawing and essay competition for school children.

Other events include vaccinating stray dogs, dog shows, fundraising fun runs, national media campaigns, the list goes on, and you can view many of these events on our website. And if you look at our map (pictured), you can see the truly global spread of events.

So, what can you do to get involved?

Check our website for events near you, or set up your own event and tell us about it.

One great way of saving lives is to teach children about rabies, and to help with this you can download free age appropriate lesson plans in various languages.

There are also posters, flyers and videos – all free of charge – including some new Russian translations, and a new bat rabies prevention poster.

Write to your government representative to ask them what they are doing to stop rabies, a preventable disease, claiming tens of thousands of lives every year. If you live in a rabies endemic area, tell them about free resources such as www.rabiesblueprint.com , a step-by-step guide to what it takes to reduce the impact of rabies on their comunities.

Join the One Health discussion on how rabies prevention is progressing here. 

Please remember to update your links to our website (our new address is www.rabiesalliance.org), like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter  – use the hashtag #RabiesIsPreventable.

And last but not least, thank you 

You make World Rabies Day a global movement. Together we can beat rabies!

The World Rabies Day Team at the Global Alliance for Rabies Control