Veterinarians Warn Rabies Surge Is a National Emergency

A rabid jackal was found in Mishor Dishon in the Upper Galilee, and authorities said no people are known to have been exposed. The finding comes amid a sharp rise in rabies cases, the disease spreading from the north toward central Israel, and a disturbing incident over the weekend in which 10 vacationers at the Sea of Galilee were bitten by a jackal later identified as rabid.

In a position paper released Tuesday, the Israel Veterinary Medical Association urged the government to stop relying mainly on local authorities to deal with rabies. The veterinarians said the growing number of reported cases is being matched by an increase in stray dog populations in peripheral areas, rural settlements, open land, border zones, and places near Israel's frontiers. Association chairman Dr. Michael Ettinger said, "This is not only a municipal problem, but a national challenge requiring government leadership, multi-year planning, dedicated funding and cooperation between all relevant bodies."

The paper says rabies is a viral disease that is almost 100% fatal once clinical signs appear. It warns that an unvaccinated, unregistered stray dog without veterinary supervision is a major link in the chain of infection to humans and animals. The group therefore called for adopting the "One Health" approach, which links human, animal and environmental health, and stressed that treatment of stray dogs and rabies prevention cannot depend only on municipalities.

The association outlined a wide set of measures, including stronger work near the borders, especially in the north, the Jordan Valley, the Golan Heights and the south; mass and subsidized vaccination; an all-Israel database; tougher enforcement of electronic tagging and reporting rules; a national spay-neuter program; expanded capture teams with 24/7 emergency availability; public education; faster bite response and full epidemiological investigations; and a dedicated multi-year budget for staffing, equipment, vaccinations, sterilization, education and research.