[ad_1]
The infectious and contagious rabies virus, shown here on a colorized micrograph, can be transmitted to humans through the bite or saliva of an infected animal. Thanks to protective pet vaccination, rabies was eliminated from the U.S. dog population in 2007, although a bite from infected bats, skunks and raccoons can still transmit the virus.
Biophoto Associates / Science Source
hide caption
toggle legend
Biophoto Associates / Science Source
The infectious and contagious rabies virus, shown here on a colorized micrograph, can be transmitted to humans through the bite or saliva of an infected animal. Thanks to protective pet vaccination, rabies was eliminated from the U.S. dog population in 2007, although a bite from infected bats, skunks and raccoons can still transmit the virus.
Biophoto Associates / Science Source
The United States has banned the importation of dogs from more than 100 countries for at least a year due to a sharp increase in the number of puppies imported into the country with fraudulent rabies vaccination certificates.
“We are doing this to ensure that we protect the health and safety of dogs imported into the United States, as well as to protect the health of the public,” he added. Dr Emily Pieracci from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told NPR.
The pandemic has sparked a wave of pet adoptions, including puppies, as Americans sought companionship as they took refuge in their homes to protect themselves from COVID-19.
This has been accompanied by an increase in dog imports, as well as an increase in the number of dogs entering the country with forged or fraudulent rabies certificates, Pieracci says. In 2020, the CDC discovered more than 450 dogs arriving in the United States with forged or fraudulent rabies certificates, a 52% increase from the previous two years, she says.
“At the start of the pandemic, shelters were reporting record numbers because everyone was adopting pandemic puppies. And so it is possible that there is a correlation between empty shelters here leading to increased demand to purchase puppies from. the foreigner, ”she said.
The rush to meet increased demand may have prompted unscrupulous ranchers to cut corners, especially in places so overwhelmed by the pandemic that they were struggling to keep up with their rabies vaccination programs, says -it.
“Given the impact COVID has had on immunization programs around the world, we don’t know what the rabies landscape will look like in the future. But we are certainly concerned that there may be an increased risk. to import a rabid dog, “she says.
How dogs and humans get rabies
The rage was eliminated in dogs in the United States in 2007, although unvaccinated dogs bitten by rabid wild animals (or come in contact with their saliva) – raccoons, skunks or bats, for example – can still get the disease this way. Today, companion dogs in the United States are routinely vaccinated against rabies to protect them.
But rabies remains one of the deadliest diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans around the world. Globally, about 59,000 people die of rabies each year, the equivalent of about one human death every nine minutes, according to Pieracci. Rabies is almost always fatal once a person begins to experience symptoms.
The United States imports approximately 1 million dogs each year. Thus, from July 14, the CDC is prohibit import of any dog of 113 countries considered to be at high risk of rabies for one year. The countries are very widespread and include Kenya, Uganda, Brazil, Colombia, Russia, Vietnam, North Korea, Nepal, China, and Syria.
“What we’re really trying to do is prevent the reintroduction of rabies into the United States from a source outside of the United States,” Pieracci said.
Veterinarians welcome the decision.
“If a new strain of rabies [were to be] introduced in the United States, it would just be a question of knowing where it will spread and how quickly it will spread, ”explains Dr Douglas Kratt, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association. “Probably not so, but or and how fast. “
But not everyone is excited about the CDC’s restrictive decision.
“While we understand the need to protect animals in the United States, we are concerned that this decision will penalize responsible animal owners who adopt animals rescued from other countries,” said Meredith Ayan, Executive Director of SPCA International. to NPR in a written statement. “It will also result in the surrender and euthanasia of a large number of otherwise healthy animals living abroad if they cannot make it to the United States from their adoptive owners. have already implemented strict rabies quarantine and vaccination procedures that have been shown to be highly effective for many years in protecting animals against rabies in the United States and which we encourage the CDC to continue to enforce. ”
Some case-by-case exceptions to the import ban
Pieracci points out that the ban will be reassessed in a year. And in the meantime, exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis, such as for people returning home after living abroad.
“We recognize that some people will need to bring a dog to the United States. This is why the CDC has put in place a process whereby people can apply for a permit to bring their dog with them,” Pieracci said.
And anyone hoping to adopt a dog shouldn’t worry, she says. Prohibited countries only account for about 6% of all dogs imported each year. And there are still plenty of dogs available for adoption in the country.
“We have a lot of dogs available who need wonderful loving homes here in the United States of America,” said Dr. Jerry Klein, the chief veterinarian of the American Kennel Club. “It shouldn’t be necessary to go to foreign countries to fill the need for loving homes for dogs and cats in the United States.”
The risk to most puppies who have already been adopted during the pandemic is likely low, health officials said, adding that anyone concerned about their puppy should see their vet, who can perform a blood test to check the status. vaccine.
“It is possible that if you purchased a pandemic puppy and it came from overseas from a country at high risk for rabies, it may not have been properly vaccinated against rabies,” Pieracci said. . “You might want to get it checked out, or maybe just revaccinate your dog.”
[ad_2]
Pictures Credit