28 Sept 2021
“Only by working together using a science-led approach to counter misinformation about rabies can we improve public understanding about the risk” – Emma Taylor, Surrey School of Veterinary Medicine.
Joshua Silverwood
Job Title
A puppy in Blantyre, Malawi, given a pet-friendly paint marker to show it is vaccinated against rabies. Image: Mission Rabies.
Researchers at one of the UK’s newest vet schools are working to track behaviours in dogs that could spread rabies.
Today (28 September) is World Rabies Day and the University of Surrey – alongside the university’s Veterinary Health Innovation Engine (vHive), Zoetis and a division of Mars Petcare – have used the occasion to announce the development of a collaborative “One health pilot research project” that will use a smart pet device to identify behaviours in dogs that may spread the killer disease.
The device will be used to monitor movements known to be at risk of spreading the disease, with the objective being to inform a larger research project to identify the efficient distribution and use of vaccines in dogs.
Emma Taylor, PhD researcher at the University of Surrey School of Veterinary Medicine, said: “Only by working together using a science-led approach to counter misinformation about rabies can we improve public understanding about the risk, improve dog ownership practices and most importantly, save lives.”
This year’s World Rabies Day theme is “Rabies: Facts, not Fear”, with the aim of highlighting the many myths and misconceptions about rabies that are amplified by fake news and vaccine hesitancy.
Every year more than 59,000 people die from rabies, and World Rabies Day was created to raise awareness and advocate for rabies elimination globally.
World Rabies Day is held every year on 28 September and this date was chosen as it is the anniversary of the death of Louis Pasteur – the first person to successfully create a vaccine against rabies.
