Vets Concerned About Rabies Outbreaks Amid Vaccine Shortages

Veterinarians are struggling to keep pets vaccinated as the world fights a surge in rabies outbreaks.

Pit bulls, a large, muscular dog breed, were originally developed as fighting dogs. Today, they are one of the most likely breeds to end up in a shelter. Photo taken at East Ridge Animal Services shelter in East Ridge, Tennessee on April 13, 2022. Jackson Elliott/The Epoch Times

Veterinarians in the United States and other countries are grappling with animal welfare challenges amid ongoing gaps in rabies vaccine availability. The timing is problematic; a December 2023 study noted a spike in global rabies cases since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rabies accounts for 59,000 human deaths in more than 150 countries per year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It’s a disease that is nearly always fatal once symptoms start. Human transmission is usually from the bite, scratch, or lick of an infected animal.