CAPE TOWN – The sharp increase of Parvovirus cases resulting in the death of several dogs has been attributed to pet owners not vaccinating their dogs or rarely doing so.
Over the festive season about 80 puppies and dogs tested positive for the highly contagious virus. The majority of them died due to being seriously sick, the Animal Welfare of SA said.
According to the organisation’s spokesperson Allan Perrins, since the start of the new year they have been seeing more cases.
“We evaluated the reasons for this worrying increase and concluded that it is due to pet owners not vaccinating their pets either at all or on an infrequent basis. Last year we vaccinated a mere 4 443 pets, 3 092 of these were dogs and puppies.
“This represents a staggering year-on-year decrease and massive concomitant jump in pet mortalities due to pet owners failing to bother to have their pets vaccinated,” said Perrins.
He explained this was negligence which is not only costing pets lives but financial strain on animal welfare organisations that have to fork out thousands for treatment costs.
“Regrettably, far too many pet owners appear to choose to ignore our numerous appeals and educational articles. We will continue to do our level best but the only way we will collectively reverse this dreadful situation is by advocating that all pets are vaccinated timeously and that their vaccinations are kept up to date,” said Perrins.
TEARS Animal Rescue Head Veterinarian Dr Tania Heuer said their mobile clinic and the organisation’s veterinary hospital had also experienced a seasonal increase in cases.
“While the communities that we serve are, on the whole, happy to vaccinate and sterilise their animals, the pressures of Lockdown and Covid-19 have resulted in a knock-on effect of pets not having been vaccinated. This is due to animal welfares not being able to reach these pets during the harder periods of Lockdown,” said Heuer.
With the ease of level restrictions, Heuer said they were vaccinating and sterilising pets.
Cape Times