Parco’s ordeal with rabies vaccinations

AN irate Empangeni resident took to Facebook to record her disappointment after taking her dogs for their rabies vaccinations this week.

Zaide Smith says she has been making use of the free service the Department of Agriculture provides to residents annually for many years, and set off to the Empangeni Fire Department without any reservations.

‘The man administering the injections seemed petrified of my Jack Russel, Parco,’ she said.

‘He used three injections, none of which were fully administered. Every time Parco moved, he would pull the needle out.’

According to Smith it appeared that the man did not ‘have a clue how to inject a dog’.

‘Usually they pinch the skin and inject just under the skin, but he was jabbing the needle straight into my dog.’

Parco went home a little worse for wear and bleeding from his ‘wounds’.

‘He is fine now, but I am just very disappointed with the service.’

Animal Health Technician Petros Sokhela, who was part of the organising team together with the SPCA, said he was unaware of the incident.

‘Our employees are well trained and are capable of handling these vaccinations in a professional manner.’

He felt that this incident could have been an isolated one and undertook to contact Smith to resolve the issue.

Empangeni SPCA inspector Roland Fivaz, meanwhile, explained the importance of the rabies vaccination programme.

‘The campaign is aimed at trying to eradicate rabies in the region,’ he said.

‘We have been lucky enough in Empangeni not to have had a positive case for over two years now, but we still cannot let down our guard.

‘I assisted the department with a rabid bull just outside Mtunzini two weeks ago, so the disease is still here. We can only stay safe if everybody vaccinate their pets.’

ALSO READ: The importance of rabies vaccinations

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