LEARN ABOUT RabieS: FACTS & Prevention
EROVAAT (Eradicate Rabies One Village At A Time) is a community-based educational and resource program.
Watch our video to learn how to prevent animals and people dying from rabies.
EROVAAT’s PURPOSE
To visit (mainly remote) villages and ensure that every child, through to the oldest adult, understands how to protect people and pets from the torturous death caused by rabies. On that visit, we also administer donated rabies vaccinations. When we leave, the village is rabies-free’, and the villagers, animal and human health leaders maintain that status by continuing with rabies vaccinations going forward.
Part of the program is to upskill village veterinarians so that they can improve animal health and welfare, and reduce zoonoses (diseases passed from animals to people).
Remote villages don’t have access to post-bite treatment centres so vaccination of the animals, particularly dogs, is their only hope.
Rabies misinformation is widespread and Cambodian people have feared rabies all their lives. Can you imagine how empowering it is to discover that if they vaccinate each animal every year from three months of age, they, their loved ones, and their pets are safe from rabies?
EROVAAT has seen fabulous personal and community engagement and responsibility. According to the village chiefs and animal health workers, more than 90% of the villagers bring their dogs and cats to the central vaccination point. This is no easy task, as most pets have never left their home before, been carried, or been put on motorbikes or push bikes.
We Work With Villagers Alongside Government Veterinarians and Community Leaders
Cambodia is organised geographically into villages grouped into communes; multiple communes comprise a district, and several districts form a province, of which Cambodia has twenty-five. We begin each new area by meeting with the district and commune chiefs or the head of the village veterinarians to discuss rabies control.
Once village representatives agree to the commitment needed to become a rabies-free village, we give a written proposal and a suggested date to the provincial department of animal health and production.
The provincial government schedules its veterinarians and health workers to assist us on the day. Meanwhile, the village chief and other leaders inform their community about where, when, and why to bring their animals in. We ask that the animal’s most trusted person bring it in. Dogs are to wear a homemade lead.
Vaccination/Education Day
Station 1
Data Collection
We record the animal’s age, gender, neuter status and owner’s name using a system provided by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC). This enables us to record and analyse vaccination and education locations. We make this information public to benefit other researchers and future initiatives.
Station 2
Vaccination
We instruct owners on how to hold their animals for vaccination to minimise fear and stress and maximise safety. We have crates and muzzles if required. An EROVAAT team member, volunteer or community veterinarian gives the vaccination.
Station 3
Red Collar
We place a red cord around the neck which has been blessed by Buddhist monks to bring the animal and its family good fortune. We use elastic incorporated into the collars for cats. The cord collar symbolises Cambodian culture and pride, and shows that the owner is taking responsibility for keeping the village rabies-free.
Station 4
Paper Record
Owners receive an official government record of their dog’s vaccination. Our team reminds them to re-vaccinate after one year. In addition, if the cord collar comes off, they can get a replacement from the village vet by presenting this card.
Station 5
Education
Most Cambodians have access to a smartphone. Each person scans our EROVAAT QR code and downloads our ‘Learn about rabies’ video on their phone. We review the informational video and webpage, answer questions and encourage everyone to share the rabies information with their friends from other communes.
We have stickers and cards with dual English/Khmer infographics and the EROVAAT QR code to take.
Depending on the village and our team’s size, the process takes one to three days. At the end of the final day, along with the village leaders, we hang the ‘We Have Committed To Being A Rabies-free Village’ sign in a visible place selected by the chief.
During our vaccination and education days, we discuss other preventative health measures. Parasite control and vaccines against parvovirus, leptospirosis and distemper are important in Cambodia. Some of these diseases also infect people (zoonotic); they are common and often lethal.
We introduce the concept of neutering and how it improves animal welfare. When we collaborate with future spay/neuter groups, owners are already aware and eager to take advantage of the opportunity. This aims to reduce animal suffering by managing the number of animals and decreasing the risk of zoonoses. Fewer animals, it is more affordable to take care of them.
ASSISTING VILLAGE
AUTONOMY MOVING
FORWARD
The village veterinarian provides future vaccinations and preventative health care, making them essential in the program.
Our relationship with the village leaders continues after the vaccinations. They can contact us with any queries about maintaining a rabies-free village. We put them in touch with a reasonably-priced vaccine supplier (or preferably, we will supply vaccines if we have enough funding/sponsorship to do so) for future vaccines. We contact the leadership every three months until the day of the second year’s vaccination, then six-monthly the following year.
Join Us in the Fight Against Rabise
Although deadly, rabies is 100% preventable by vaccinating animals and people. Due to effective vaccination, education and surveillance programmes, many developed countries around the world have successfully eliminated rabies and maintained a rabies-free status.
Rabies is 100% Preventable