There were many more cats and dogs with rabies than foxes
According to the man, the causative agent of rabies has been known for several thousand years. Mouse-like rodents, foxes, squirrels, cats, dogs and others carry it.
“A fox that eats mice gets infected from them, and then transmits the virus to other animals. The spread of rabies occurs because we do not pay enough attention to the vaccination of animals. In particular, oral vaccination of foxes. And also – vaccination of cats and dogs, both homeless and domestics who are allowed to walk freely,” says Andriy Kiyko.
The zoologist notes that last year’s statistics show that there were much more cases of rabies in cats and dogs than in foxes. This means that in rural areas, owners do not vaccinate their pets.
“A dog or a cat that walks freely can have a conflict with a fox or a sick rodent. So both the pet and its owner will suffer,” warns Andrii Kiyko.
He notes that in the villages, the owners treat their pets as their ancestors did a hundred or two hundred years ago: one died, another will follow.
“People don’t want to vaccinate cats and dogs. But there should be outreach work. If we go to Europe, then we will have to do as in Europe: people will not only vaccinate, but also chip their animals,” says the zoologist .
The expert does not deny that the number of wild animals and foxes in particular has increased recently. However, he does not connect this fact with the ban on hunting.
“Animals live and raise their young where there is food. In populated areas, foxes feed on natural garbage dumps, climb into open garbage cans. There are also enough live animals running around the streets of Lviv. For example, cats. Foxes eat cats or pigeons or rats “The fox has a good sense of smell: if she hears the smell of fodder left in places where compassionate Lviv residents feed homeless animals, she goes there,” says the specialist.
In his opinion, in order to overcome rabies, it is necessary to fight with mice and rats, to take homeless animals from the streets. And then there will be fewer foxes, because they will have nothing to eat. And also – to scatter anti-rabies drugs that smell good and are tasty for foxes.
“A wild animal should be afraid of a person. Instead, people feed them, want to pet the fox. This is not normal. The fox should return to its environment and know that it should run away from the person,” the zoologist says.
If the animal does not run away, then under no circumstances should it be picked up. The best thing to do is to notify the police and the State Consumer Service.
“And people want to bring her home and feed her. This is human stupidity, which can lead to bad consequences. But be wise!”, he warns.
Will shooting animals solve the problem of rabies?
Before the full-scale invasion, rabies in animals was fought in the Lviv region by scattering anti-rabies drugs from airplanes. Now local authorities use radical methods – shooting animals.
Andriy Kiyko claims that the shooting of foxes, as well as cats and dogs that are walking freely, which is carried out from time to time in the territories of various communities under the guise of fighting rabies, will not be able to fight rabies.
“The shooting takes place no closer than 200 meters to the border of the settlement. Accordingly, those animals that run in the wild are shot. And those animals that are within the city limits cannot be shot. And they cause the most damage – they live near people “, he says.
As for permits for shooting animals, according to him, hunters have now received permits to hunt foxes, wolves, raccoon dogs, as well as stray cats and dogs.
“But raccoon dogs are sleeping now. It’s very difficult, almost impossible, to hunt down a wolf. So who are you going to shoot there? Then you have to shoot a squirrel too, they also carry rabies. Those beautiful squirrels that they love to feed in the Stryi Park,” says the zoologist.
Regarding the shooting of cats and dogs, according to him, the Law “On the Protection of Animals from Cruelty” requires that these animals should be captured and placed in shelters. But no one does this.
Foreign experience
Andrii Kiyko notes that wild animals are not shot abroad to fight rabies. Other methods are used there. For example, coyotes are being deterred in the USA. And there coyotes, when they hear a person, run away. We don’t do that.
Also, according to the zoologist, foxes live in cities in Great Britain.
“The British have come to terms with that. But shooting is not relevant for them. We need to approach this comprehensively and wisely,” says an expert from the NGO “Carpathian-Danube Program”.
According to him, Great Britain had a rabies control program that was implemented year after year. This is the distribution of anti-rabies drugs, the removal of homeless cats and dogs from the streets. And also — vaccination of domestic animals.
