Rabies Protection
What is rabies?
Rabies is an encephalitis, or brain disease, which is caused by
the rabies virus.
It is a fatal condition caused after being bitten by an infected
animal, usually a rabid dog or a bat.
There is a vaccination against the disease, but once symptoms of
rabies have developed the condition is almost always fatal - and
the few people who have survived have suffered serious long-term
disabilities.
Rabies is a notifiable disease. If you suspect signs of any
notifiable disease, you must immediately notify a Defra Divisional
Veterinary Manager.
Which countries am I most at risk?
Most countries of the world have rabies and there are only a
few, including Britain, the Antarctic and Australia, which have
been declared rabies free.
But anyone bitten by a bat in the UK should still seek medical
advice.
Travelling in developing countries is the most risky,
particularly the more remote areas, as clinics do not always have
supplies of the vaccine. The vaccine can be successful after a
person has been bitten, if it is taken early enough.
What are the symptoms?
Rabies affects the central nervous system.
Initial symptoms can include anxiety,
headaches and fever. As the condition progresses the patient will
have spasms of their swallowing muscles, a fear of water and
respiratory failure will set in.
How can I avoid rabies?
Travellers going to countries where rabies is endemic are
advised to have the rabies vaccine. This is a safe and effective
jab and should be considered by anyone who is bitten or scratched
by a warm blooded animal in a country with rabies.
Travellers abroad are advised to steer clear
of animals, particularly stray or unattended dogs.
For further information and advice please visit the DEFRA
website.
Pet Travel Scheme
The importation rules require that pets imported into the United
Kingdom (
UK
) are quarantined in
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (
DEFRA
) approved facilities
for six months in order to keep the UK free from rabies and certain
other diseases. However, there are some exemptions to these rules
under a scheme called the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS).
PETS allows pet dogs (including guide and hearing dogs), cats
and ferrets from designated countries to enter the UK without
quarantine as long as they meet the scheme rules. The scheme
also means that UK residents can take their pets to the designated
countries and return to the UK without quarantine.
The PETS rules include a requirement to have pets vaccinated
for rabies and to have a pet passport.
Please visit the DEFRA website for more detailed
information.