In Other News… Is Rabies Still A Thing?!
In this age of rabid anti-vaxers, (see what we did there?) some people are confused and may not realize that rabies IS still “a thing,” and you SHOULD vaccinate your pets annually or every 3rd year! In fact, ~60,000 people die every year from rabies, mostly kids and mostly in India and Africa. These children die from rabies for many different reasons: many people are unaware that a dog bite can kill you if it transmits rabies, the hospital may be many days travel away, rabies post-exposure prophylaxis requires refrigeration and can be expensive (~$50 in Africa) and so not all hospitals have it available, etc.
The most effective way to prevent 95% of human cases of rabies is to vaccinate dogs. Mission Rabies sets out to do just that! Join Dr. Jen and Dr. Jason as they hear all about Mission Rabies efforts and Worldwide Veterinary Services (WVS) from the founder himself, Dr. Luke Gamble.
If you are interested in donating to Mission Rabies or for more information on WVS and Mission Rabies, visit: http://www.missionrabies.com
BIO:
In 2002, Luke Gamble founded the charity, Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS), with the aims of alleviating suffering and promoting the welfare and moral perception of animals around the world. Giving up his spare time to volunteer with the charity, Luke has seen, first-hand, the devastating effects of rabies on people and animals and was determined to do something about it. Many of the international animal welfare organisations that WVS work with have made huge strides in combating rabies through sustained vaccination of dogs, so Luke decided to harness these proven methods and join forces with WVS's vast network of animal welfare advocates to make a difference in India, the world's hotspot for rabies.
With the help of incredible sponsors like Dogs Trust, not to mention fantastic veterinary staff at the International Training Centre - established by WVS in Southern India and which has so far trained over 300 Indian vets in welfare-friendly neutering techniques - as well as a dedicated team back in the UK; Mission Rabies has developed from an idea into a reality which is set to save the lives of thousands of dogs and people across India.