Even when traveling to the Netherlands: vaccinating your pet against rabies is mandatory

Anyone who takes their cat or dog abroad is required to vaccinate their animal against rabies. Even when it comes to short trips to France or the Netherlands. The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) calls on dog and cat owners with travel plans to visit the vet in time.

With the holiday months approaching, many people are preparing their summer trips. Anyone who wants to bring their four-legged friend with them must ensure that it has been vaccinated against rabies.

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Rabies is preventable, but remains one of the deadliest viruses in the world for humans and animals. About 60,000 people die from the disease every year. You can contract the virus after being bitten, scratched or even licked by an infected animal. In 99 percent of cases, people contract the virus from an infected dog.

Belgium may have been free of rabies for more than twenty years, but the disease remains a risk, even in popular holiday destinations in Europe. In 2023, there were as many as 85 outbreaks of the disease in Europe. In Turkey, a popular holiday destination, 240 outbreaks have been reported.

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The FASFC would therefore like to inform people that their four-legged friend must be vaccinated against rabies if they are allowed to go on holiday. People should also make an appointment on time, because the vaccine itself is only valid after 21 days.

Without symptom

The agency also urges travelers to be “extremely careful” with street dogs or cats abroad. For example, it is not recommended to pet or feed stray animals. “An animal infected with rabies does not initially show any signs of the disease, but can already infect other animals and people,” the advice reads.

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