Rabies outbreak

The rescue team of the Auroville Dog Shelter caught inside Transition School a black female dog that acted extremely aggressively and displayed signs of a possible rabies infection. Five persons including two children, and many other dogs, were bitten by this dog. The rescue team used its stock of vaccinations to vaccinate the animal bite victims and caught two more dogs that showed symptoms of the rabies infection. All dogs caught were put in quarantine; two of them died soon afterwards, one is still under observation. The persons bitten were sent to a hospital for treatment.

The Auroville Dog Shelter Team warned that this might be the beginning of a serious rabies outbreak in Auroville and the surrounding villages. People were advised to not touch any dogs or puppies on the street and to keep their dogs and cats inside, and, if bitten, immediately get an anti-rabies vaccination as rabies symptoms may show up much later – in some cases up to a year later – but then are 100% fatal.

The Department of Animal Husbandry and the Animal Welfare Board of India, Tamil Nadu officials and the Auroville Foundation have been informed and the Auroville Dog Shelter Team is working together with them to control and prevent a larger outbreak of rabies in Auroville and the surrounding area.

The Auroville Foundation has been requested for funds to replenish the Dog’s Shelters animal vaccination stock so that a potential large rabies outbreak can be fought successfully and Auroville be kept safe. Meanwhile, thanks to a donation from AVI USA, an emergency stock of animal vaccinations could be purchased. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends vaccinating at least 70% of dogs in at-risk areas to prevent rabies transmission and human deaths. This level of herd immunity needs to be maintained for 3–7 years to eliminate rabies. The Dog Shelter Team is going around Auroville to vaccinate as many dogs and cats as possible. Its mobile vet clinic in front of the Solar Kitchen has turned into a vaccination camp and all Aurovilians have been urged to have their dogs and cats vaccinated to eliminate the risk of rabies and keep everyone safe. A mass animal vaccination drive focussing on the Auroville surrounding villages started in the last week of August.