Rabies Vaccination Is Legally Required in South Africa

It is not optional

Under South African animal disease legislation, rabies vaccination of dogs and cats is compulsory. This is not a recommendation from your vet — it is a legal obligation on the owner.

Rabies is present in South Africa, with the heaviest burden in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and parts of the Eastern Cape. It is essentially always fatal in animals and people once symptoms appear.

The schedule

A first vaccination from three months of age, a second between one and twelve months later, and boosters thereafter at the interval on the vaccine label — commonly every one to three years.

Keep the vaccination card. You will need it for boarding, for travel between provinces in some circumstances, for export, and if your animal is ever involved in a bite incident.

Where to get it at no cost

State veterinary services and municipalities run free rabies vaccination campaigns regularly, particularly in high-risk districts. Phone your local state vet office or municipality to ask when the next one is.

SPCA branches also vaccinate at low or no cost. There is no good reason for an unvaccinated dog or cat in this country.

If your animal bites someone

A current rabies vaccination changes the entire situation. Without proof of vaccination, the animal may face a quarantine period and the person bitten faces a difficult medical decision.

Any bite from an unvaccinated animal should be reported and the person should seek medical attention immediately. Post-exposure treatment in humans is highly effective but only before symptoms begin.

If you suspect rabies

Signs in animals include behaviour change, unprovoked aggression, unusual tameness in a wild animal, drooling, difficulty swallowing, and progressive paralysis.

Do not handle the animal. Confine it if that can be done safely without contact, and contact your state veterinarian or local vet immediately.

Any contact with saliva through a bite, scratch or broken skin requires immediate medical attention for the person involved. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water for fifteen minutes on the way.