A rabies-positive kitten recently found in the Ballito Junction parking area has prompted renewed calls for pet owners to vaccinate and sterilise their animals.

Kerry and Shaun Janke, co-founders of Saving Animals Through Fostering and Education (Safe), are leading the campaign locally.

Founded in 2022, Safe is a non-profit organisation committed to improving animal welfare in vulnerable communities through mass sterilisation, rescue and rehabilitation, education programmes and community upliftment initiatives. The organisation operates across eThekwini and iLembe, working with partners to address growing animal welfare challenges.

The couple is currently running a two-month sterilisation programme in Tongaat’s Frasers and Tin Town informal settlements. So far, Safe has sterilised about 250 dogs and 90 cats.

“Shack settlements merge into more formal areas, with dogs moving freely between communities and large populations of unsterilised and unvaccinated animals,” said Kerry.

Safe’s efforts aim to reduce the growing number of abandoned animals while limiting the spread of diseases such as rabies. According to the Durban & Coast SPCA, which includes Ballito, only 451 of the 12 213 animals taken into its care during the 2024/25 financial year were adopted.

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While only two cases of rabies have been reported in the iLembe district this year, Shaun said it remains a serious concern.

“Rabies is still an exceptionally serious issue that we deal with on a regular basis,” he said.

“We have had confirmed cases in impoverished communities, but stray dogs also move through wealthier areas.”

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases‘ rabies surveillance data, KZN recorded 395 animal rabies cases between January 2020 and May 2026, more than double the 195 reported in the Eastern Cape.

Aloe Veterinary Clinic Ballito veterinarian Dr Jeremy Lamb said any unvaccinated mammal can become infected.

“Unfortunately, not all cases are detected or reported, so the true incidence is likely higher than official figures suggest,” said Lamb.

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While rabies cases in Ballito are relatively uncommon, Lamb noted the rabies-positive kitten recently found in Ballito.

“Rabies is almost invariably fatal once clinical signs develop, but it is entirely preventable through vaccination,” he said.

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He urged anyone bitten, scratched or exposed to the saliva of a potentially rabid animal to seek medical attention immediately, as prompt treatment can prevent the disease from developing.

To donate to Safe, visit SAFE Fostering Network | Animal Rescue & Adoption Durban.