WSAVA and GARC announce alliance against canine rabies

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) will be supporting the work of the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) after signing a memorandum of understanding.

Both organisations will be working together to promote a humane response to canine rabies prevention, as well as helping to improve health education in rabies-endemic countries.

Specifically, they will make efforts to target the increased involvement of veterinarians in rabies prevention, while working to provide alternatives to inhumane methods such as widespread animal culls.

GARC already implements comprehensive rabies prevention programmes that include dog vaccinations and education schemes, while the WSAVA's One Health Committee is working closely with the World Organisation for Animal Health on a range of rabies control projects.

Professor Michael Day, chair of the WSAVA One Health Committee, said: "The signing of this agreement between WSAVA and GARC is an exciting step forward in the campaign for global elimination of canine rabies."

The WSAVA is an umbrella organisation representing 146,500 veterinarians globally through 97 member associations.