KCCA TO VACCINATE DOGS AND CATS IN COMMEMORATION OF THE WORLD VETERINARY DAY

The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has organized a two-day rabies vaccination event for pets (mainly dogs and cats) in Kampala as one of the activities to commemorate the World Veterinary Day.

The free vaccination event will take place tomorrow at Jakana road in Kawempe division and on Saturday 30th April at Kyanja Moslems Primary School also in Kawempe.

Celebrated on the last Saturday of April every year, the annual event is aimed at highlighting and promoting the work performed by Veterinarians around the world.

Dr Hannington Katumba a Veterinary Officer at KCCA, encouraged pet owners to bring their animals for vaccination. Vaccination is one of the best ways to prevent rabies.

“Its safer for you to have your pet vaccinated instead of treating rabies. It is even much cheaper to vaccinate than getting treatment for rabies,” Katumba says.

KCCA has partnered with the Uganda Society for Protection and Care of Animals (USPCA), Makerere University and the Rotary Club of Kyanja-Metro. 

Katumba says KCCA is committed to the health and safety of humans and animals in the city, neighboring areas and the country at large. 

“Keeping an unvaccinated pet is a risk to yourself and the public. If your unvaccinated pet bites someone and they get rabies you will be held liable  under the Public Health Act,” Katumba says.

Apart from the vaccination, Katumba says KCCA will also offer Spay and Neuter services. 

The terms spay or neuter refers to the surgical sterilization of an animal. Female animals are spayed by having their ovaries and uterus removed under general anesthesia. Male animals are neutered by having their testicles removed under general anesthesia. 

Katumba says the activities to mark the WVD will contribute to the control of pet population in the city, improve pet welfare, and ultimately protect human lives from zoonotic diseases, especially Rabies. 

This year, national WVD will be celebrated at Kyamate grounds, in Ntungamo District, under the theme "Strengthening Veterinary Resilience,”. 

The Uganda Veterinary Association (UVA) has set the sub-theme "Building lasting partnerships for increased veterinary resilience and sustainability.

This year's WVD sub-theme aims at building lasting partnerships that can increase the resilience veterinarians and sustainability of the veterinary.