Rabies Control and Animal Welfare

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

The death of a 12-year-old girl in Pathanamthitta has sharpened the focus on the rising number of rabies cases and the growing population of stray dogs in Kerala.

About Rabies

• It is a zoonotic viral disease.
• It is caused by the Rabies virus, of the Lyssavirus genus, within the family Rhabdoviridae.

• It is a Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) virus that is present in the saliva of a rabid animal (dog, cat, monkey, etc).

• Rabies is 100% fatal but 100% vaccine-preventable. 
• 33% of global rabies deaths are recorded in India.
• Common Vectors/ Reservoirs of Virus

• The most common reservoir of the virus is the domestic/street dog especially in South Asia and Africa.
• More than 99% of human deaths due to rabies are caused by dog-mediated rabies.
• In developed nations like the USA, animals that transmit rabies are bats, foxes, raccoons, and skunks.
• Most mammals can carry the virus and hence can cause the disease.

• It spreads by the bite of a rabid animal that leads to the deposition of the saliva and the virus in the wound.

• The incubation period varies from 4 days to 2 years or sometimes even more.
• The incubation period means the time interval between the bite and the occurrence of symptoms/signs of the disease.

Symptoms

• Fever, Headache, Nausea, Vomiting
• Anxiety, Confusion, Hyperactivity, Hallucinations, Insomnia
• Difficulty swallowing
• Excessive salivation
• Partial paralysis
• Fear brought on by attempts to drink fluids because of difficulty swallowing water, etc.
• The death invariably occurs in 4 days to 2 weeks due to cardio-respiratory failure.

Control and Prevention of Rabies

• • Get rabies vaccination to prevent the infection.
  • Vaccinating your pet against the disease.
  • Maintain distance from the wild animals.
  • Wash wounds with soap and water and maintain good hygiene.
  • Keep your pets away from the other stray dogs.

• Prevent bats from wandering around your campuses and living places.

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 

• The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,1960, was adopted by the Indian Parliament in 1960 to prevent the inflicting of unnecessary pain or suffering on animals and to reform legislation connected to animal cruelty prevention.
• The Animal Welfare Board of India was established by the Indian government in accordance with the law’s stipulations.
• This Act provides for punishment for causing unnecessary cruelty and suffering to animals. The Act defines animals and different forms of animals.
• It provides the guidelines relating to experimentation on animals for scientific purposes.

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Care and Maintenance of Case Property Animals) Rules, 2017

• Framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
• The Rules allow a Magistrate to forfeit the animal of an owner facing trial under the Act.
• The animals are then sent to infirmaries, animal shelters, etc.
• The authorities can further give such animals for “adoption”.

Animal Welfare Board of India

• The Animal Welfare Board of India is a statutory advisory body on Animal Welfare Laws and promotes animal welfare in the country.
• Established in 1962 under Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (No. 59 of 1960), the Animal Welfare Board of India was started under the stewardship of Late Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale, well known humanitarian. 
• From ensuring that animal welfare laws in the country are diligently followed, to provide grants to Animal Welfare Organizations and advising the Government of India on animal welfare issues, the Board has been the face of the animal welfare movement in the country for the last 50 years.
• The Board consists of 28 Members. The term of office of Members is for a period of 3 years.