Mission Rabies

what is mission rabies

Mission Rabies is a charity which was founded as a project of Worldwide Veterinary Service in 2013 with one aim, eliminate dog bite transmitted rabies through a research driven One Health approach. Since 2015, Mission Rabies is a charity in its own right.

Over 99% of human rabies cases are caused by an infected dog bite. Once symptoms of the disease develop, it is almost always fatal.

Every year, millions of healthy dogs are inhumanely killed for fear of this deadly disease. However, this doesn't halt the spread of rabies, which causes the deaths of around 59,000 people a year – the majority of which are children under 15.

Mission Rabies is going to change that.

Science shows that the most effective long-term rabies control strategy is through vaccination of dogs in endemic areas.

Beginning our journey in India, where a third of the global human rabies deaths occur, we ran a 14-city canine vaccination campaign. With our mighty Mission Rabies Truck leading the way, where we smashed our target of 50,000 dogs in just 25 days, finishing with a grand total of over 61,000 dogs vaccinated against Rabies.

5 years on and we are working in 6 different countries, with volunteers from across the world, getting to the heart of rabies-stricken countries and combating this disease with the combination of vaccination, education, technology, research and lots of hard work.

Click on the map, above, to learn more about our lifesaving work in each location.

Rabies is 100% preventable. Mission Rabies is working to prevent needless deaths from this devastating disease and we need you to be a part of it.

key facts

The symptoms

Once rabies symptoms are present, it is 100% fatal.
The virus is very unstable outside of the host, so to pass it onto new victims,the virus changes the way its host behaves.
There are 2 forms of rabies symptoms
80% display the ‘furious’ form where signs can include:

Restlessness, sensitivity to sound and movement; wandering aimlessly into new areas; excessive reactions to people and animals; aggression; indiscriminate biting and saliva may drip from the mouth.

The other form is ‘dumb’ where animals become lethargic, potentially paralysed and show other non-specific signs of illness.

partners

Dogs Trust, WVS, Davies Veterinary Specialists, Henry Schein Cares Foundation Fitzpatrick Referrals, BSAVA, Commonwealth Veterinary Association, WSAVA, CDC, University of Edinburgh Technik Technology, Vipex, WTG, Pet Air, Mayhew International, BCF Technology, Centaur Services, AGM Telematics, AST, Daray Medical, Medimark Scientific, MSD Animal Health, Starleaf, University of Bristol, W&H, ABC India, A1 Animals Come First, Humane Animal Society, Animal Rescue Kerala, International Animal Rescue, Just be Friendly, IPAN, TOLFA, Indian Veterinary Association, AWBI, APCRI, VSPCA, Vets for Animals, iSAW, CARE, tiffinbox and IVSA.