Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government will hold a static point rabies vaccination campaign at 143 centres in 12 talukas across Goa for the vaccination of dogs.
The 35-day campaign to be held in association with the Mission Rabies project will commence on World Rabies Day on September 28 and continue till November 1, informed Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar on Tuesday.
The Minister told reporters that the campaign will commence in the Salcete taluka and pet owners will be able to attend any one of the 143 vaccination clinics set up across seven talukas ie Salcete, Ponda, Sanguem, Quepem, Mormugao, Tiswadi and Bardez to receive a free vaccination for their dogs.
According to Halarnkar, the State government has spent around Rs 3.7 crore during the last six years and vaccinated over nine lakh dogs, under the project. Annually around 90,000 dogs are vaccinated in the State, he said adding that Goa has achieved rabies-free status as no rabies deaths have been reported in the State for the last four years.
However, as neighbouring States are not rabies-free as yet, to maintain Goa’s rabies-free status the campaign will go on at the cost of around Rs 66.54 lakh per year.
Meanwhile, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services has launched a hotline 7744029586 to help citizens connect with the vaccination teams.
