Vetnews | November 2024 20 « BACK TO CONTENTS The ‘Lowveld Vet @ White River’ has this year undertaken its largest rabies campaign so far. With the support of Boehringer Ingelheim South Africa, driven by Claudia Cloete from SAVA-CVC, our practice has managed to extend the annual rabies vaccinations done by our local state veterinary services by administering a further 1200 vaccination to dogs in our surrounding communities. These communities included Dwaleni, Mafambisa, Game, Kaapsehoop, Bhuga, Phakane, Mthimba, Msholozi, White River, Alzu and more. The campaign started mid-July and stretched until World Rabies Day on the 28th of September. Once or sometimes twice a week our vaccination team (usually 2 nurses or animal health technicians) from our private practice went to the outlying communities sometimes in the company of a team from the local state veterinary services. It was important to establish a good relationship with our local State Vets first to be able to plan together and attend where the need was greatest as well as avoid repeating vaccination in areas where the service was already provided regularly and efficiently. In the beginning the team set out early in the mornings during the week but we’ve had to learn about community dynamics quickly and often homes with pets had kids attending school and all adults out at work at that time of day. Our most effective vaccination times were between 1 and 4pm during the week or on a Saturday morning. We attempted both house-to-house visits as well as arranging regional meeting places that were well known and easy to access. We used Facebook and flyers to advertise when we were planning to go out and found this to be very effective. Without a doubt this vaccination drive was effective and necessary and we are eager to try it again. The need is great and so is the potential of achieving even more in our communities when we go out. We are grateful for SAVA-CVC and Boehringer Ingelheim South Africa for their support. v An initiative of the SOUTH AFRICAN VETERINARY ASSOCIATION Non-profit Company: 1998/016654/08 Non-profit Organisation: 000-234 NPO Public Benefit Organisation: 130001321 CVC News I CVC Nuus The Boehringer Ingelheim Rabies campaign in the Lowveld Written by Dr Daniela Spath BVSc, Lowveld Vet@ White River
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