World Rabies Day: Keeping Our Furry Friends Safe
World Rabies Day is an international awareness campaign held every September 28. It is organized by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, a nonprofit organization headquartered in the United States. They ultimately aim to eliminate all human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.
Featured in: September - Awareness Months, Days, and Observances.
Why World Rabies Day Matters
World Rabies Day aims to raise awareness of rabies prevention, especially in high-risk areas like Africa and some parts of Asia.
The event stresses the life-saving importance of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and regular dog vaccinations by encouraging global collaboration and resource mobilization. Improving accessibility of these measures not only saves lives but also strengthens national health systems.
As certain regions still face rabies due to limited health services, continuing education, and preventative actions are crucial in safeguarding both human and animal populations against the deadly disease.
How to Support World Rabies Day
- Swing by a local World Rabies Day event and show solidarity. At the same time, learn crucial facts about rabies prevention in these activities.
- Attend or organize mass vaccination events in local communities.
- Share interesting, relevant information to help prevent rabies on your social media feed.
- Volunteer at local animal welfare organizations and help them fight rabies on the frontlines.
- Promote responsible pet ownership by discussing why pet owners must visit the vet regularly and ensure their pets get the rabies vaccine.
Data and Statistics
A 2015 study reports a staggering 59,000 human deaths annually due to canine rabies. Almost 95% of these human rabies deaths occur in Africa and Asia2.
It also costs the world an estimated $8.6 billion annually, covering medical costs, loss of income, and dog vaccination expenses3.
In 2019, global rabies cases totaled 14,075.51 and caused 13,743.44 deaths, a decrease from 1990 numbers. With sociodemographic improvements, rabies incident cases, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years all decreased. This reflects a 30-year downward trend in the global burden of rabies1.
Brief Timeline of World Rabies Day
French chemist Louis Pasteur died after multiple strokes. He is the founder of the first rabies vaccine.
The Alliance for Rabies Control (ARC) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention launched World Rabies Day. This event received endorsements from the World Health Organization and the Pan-American Health Organization, among others.
The Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) championed the comprehensive One Health approach to rabies prevention.
In collaboration with MSD Animal Health, the GARC initiated the World Rabies Day Awards to recognize local heroes battling rabies.
The world's first global conference on eradicating dog-mediated human rabies occurred on World Rabies Day in Geneva, Switzerland.
World Rabies Day 2023 adopted the theme "All for 1 - One Health for All," emphasizing the need for a global effort to eliminate rabies through vaccination and medicines.
World Rabies Day Themes
| September 28, 2023 | All for 1 - One Health for All |
| September 28, 2022 | One Health, Zero Deaths |
| September 28, 2021 | Facts, not Fear |
| September 28, 2020 | End Rabies: Collaborate, Vaccinate |
| September 28, 2019 | Vaccinate to Eliminate |
Conclusion
World Rabies Day promotes awareness of rabies' lethal nature and advocates stepping up the fight against it. Get involved—spread knowledge, vaccinate your pets, and alert authorities about stray animals. Each action, regardless of size, helps make the world safer.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
It is an annual global observance to raise awareness about rabies prevention and control.
Once infected, rabies has a 100% fatality rate. But it is preventable. So, this annual event highlights the need for education, vaccination, and control measures to completely eliminate the disease worldwide.
Spread awareness, join local vaccination campaigns and World Rabies Day events, and donate to organizations working to eradicate rabies.
Some common myths are that animals with rabies are aggressive and that rabies is only transmitted through bites.
Avoid contact and report the suspected animal to local animal control authorities immediately.
| 1 | Gan, H., Hou, X., Wang, Y., Xu, G., Huang, Z., Zhang, T., Lin, R., Xue, M., Hu, H., Liu, M., Cheng, Z. J., Sun, B., & Zhu, Z. (2023). Global burden of rabies in 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2019: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 126, 136–144. |
| 2 | Hampson, K., Coudeville, L., Lembo, T., Sambo, M., Kieffer, A., Attlan, M., ... & Briggs, D. (2015). Estimating the global burden of endemic canine rabies. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 9(5), e0003786. |
| 3 | Hampson, K., Coudeville, L., Lembo, T., Sambo, M., Kieffer, A., Attlan, M., ... & Briggs, D. (2015). Estimating the global burden of endemic canine rabies. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 9(5), e0003786. |
Mike is a degree-qualified researcher and writer passionate about increasing global awareness about climate change and encouraging people to act collectively in resolving these issues.
Fact Checked By:
Isabela Sedano, BEng.
