While many people consider rabies a disease with no present-day implications, over 55,000 people die from the disease each year worldwide, over half of which are children under the age of 15. Additionally, countless dogs and cats are exposed to the disease, usually after being bitten by a wild animal carrier. To avoid the spread of this preventable disease within the D.C. Metro area, the Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL) will host a free rabies clinic on Wednesday, September 29th from 4:30PM-8:00PM.
“Rabies is a horrible disease,” according to Anna Strates, hospital manager at the Washington Animal Rescue League’s Medical Center. “But the good news is that it is absolutely preventable with a vaccination. In the last statistical year, 47 wild animals in the District of Columbia tested positive for rabies, but no cats or dogs did. We want to keep it that way.”
This free rabies clinic will be included during WARL’s weekly low-cost clinic on September 29thin conjunction with the efforts put forth by the World Rabies Day Initiative, a global effort to eliminate rabies worldwide. To support the local efforts, Pfizer, Inc. donated 425 doses of rabies vaccine to WARL to be used during the clinic.
Anyone with dogs or cats is welcome at this rabies clinic; there are no residence or income requirements. No appointments are necessary, but cats must be in carriers and dogs must be leashed. Pet owners should bring their pets’ previous shot records. For more information and directions to the shelter, call 202-726-2556 or visit www.warl.org.
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