The Oyo State Government has urged dog and other pet owners to ensure regular vaccination of their animals against rabies, warning that the disease poses a grave risk to public health, especially in rural areas.
The appeal was contained in a statement issued by the state Ministry of Information, following a Rabies Sensitisation and Awareness Programme organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development at the State Veterinary Hospital, Mokola, Ibadan.
Speaking at the event on Monday, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, described rabies as a deadly but often unreported disease with serious consequences for humans and animals alike.
Olaleye, who was represented by the Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Mrs Laide Azeez, reminded residents that the Oyo State Dog Law 2020 makes annual vaccination of dogs compulsory and forbids animals from roaming freely.
He said offenders risk a fine of ₦250,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both.
The commissioner noted that the ministry, through veterinary officers across the 33 local government areas, had stepped up mass vaccination exercises, promoted responsible pet ownership and expanded public awareness efforts.
He reaffirmed the resolve of Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration to eliminate rabies and strengthen veterinary services across the state.
“Rabies is preventable if dog owners act responsibly. Collective action is required to create a rabies-free environment and protect our communities,” he said.
Delivering a lecture titled “Rabies: What You Need to Know,” the Head of Animal Health Technology at the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Dr Ifeoluwapo Akanbi, explained that the disease is caused by Lyssavirus and transmitted through the saliva and nervous tissue of infected animals.
She disclosed that rabies claims over 59,000 lives each year, mainly in Africa and Asia, adding that humans can become infected through bites, scratches, licks on broken skin, and in rare instances, organ transplants.
Akanbi urged members of the public to seek immediate medical care after any suspected exposure and to ensure routine vaccination of pets.
Also speaking, the Surveillance Officer of the State Ministry of Health, Mr Hamed Adewole, said health officers were stationed across all 33 local government areas, calling on residents to report suspected cases without delay.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association, Oyo State chapter, Dr Bolaji Olaomo, encouraged participants to spread the message, stressing that the fight against zoonotic diseases demands shared responsibility.
