9,000 pets targeted in Mzuzu Rabies Vaccination Campaign

The Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development under Mzuzu Agriculture Development Division (Mzadd) has embarked on a Rabies Vaccination Campaign targeting 9,000 pets within Mzuzu City.

Chief Animal Health and Livestock Development Officer for Mzadd, Dr. Michael Luwe, disclosed this in an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) Thursday, saying the campaign which commenced on October 6 will run up to October 13,2025 with an extension of the initiative to October 31, 2025.

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“During the extension period, pets’ owners will be required to bring their pets to our offices for rabies vaccination,” said Luwe.

He further advised pets’ owners to take their pets to other designated vaccination sites to ensure updated vaccination status of their pets, which include dogs and cats.

“We also urge them to report any stray dog displaying unusual behavior and to avoid contact with animals which they suspect might be infected with rabies,” he said.

Luwe added that by vaccinating dogs and cats, the initiative does not protect only the animals but also people from fatal but preventable disease.

Commenting on presence of stray dogs in Mzuzu City, Luwe said his office is currently engaging communities of responsible pet ownership and dog population management.

“Many dogs which are categorized as stray are not truly without owners, they belong to households but they are left to roam freely. We are also calling for proper waste management, since unmanaged waste attracts and sustain stray dogs,”

He added that to address the challenge of irresponsible pet ownership, government is reviewing existing legislation to introduce stiffer penalties for individuals who abandon their pets to ensure accountability amongst pet owners.

Among other signs, rabid dogs show abnormal behavior including aggressiveness, excessive drooling, over reaction to touch, lack of appetite, barking differently and as the situation deteriorates they show signs of complete paralysis and eventually die.

Rabies, a deadly yet preventable disease, is endemic to Malawi, hence the risk of rabies infection remains high.

Meanwhile, communuities in Mzuzu have welcomed the campaign describing it as an important exercise worth participating.

“Chances of a vaccinated dog to infect any one with rabies through dog bite are very low and, in most cases, they don’t transmit the disease,” said a pets’ owners and resident of Nambo Location in the city, Golden Munthali,

“I urge all pets’ owners to take advantage of this campaign by ensuring that their pets are vaccinated,” said Munthali.

The Rabies Vaccination Campaign has been rolled out with support from Community Health Coalition (USA) through Africa Vaccine Initiative.