The mass dog re-vaccination drive is currently being carried out by eight dedicated teams comprising more than 50 members.
Published Dec 17, 2025 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Dec 17, 2025 | 9:00 AM
(Representational image/Creative Commons)
Synopsis: A rabies re-vaccination drive was launched in Coimbatore earlier this month as part of an annual effort by local organisations to prevent the spread of the deadly viral disease among animals and humans. The initiative focuses on administering follow-up anti-rabies vaccinations to dogs that were covered in previous campaigns, with the aim of maintaining immunity within the canine population.
A rabies re-vaccination drive was launched in eight areas of Coimbatore district in Tamil Nadu earlier this month as part of an annual effort by local organisations to prevent the spread of the deadly viral disease among animals and humans.
The campaign, which began on 8 December, is being carried out till 18 December, following the success of a similar drive conducted last year in the same localities.
The initiative focuses on administering follow-up anti-rabies vaccinations to dogs that were covered in previous campaigns, with the aim of maintaining immunity within the canine population.
Rabies, which primarily spreads through dog bites, remains almost always fatal once symptoms appear, making prevention critical.
Organisers said the strong response has influenced the decision to organise the drive in the same areas in 2024, when thousands of dogs were vaccinated within a short span, significantly strengthening rabies control efforts in those zones.
According to details shared by the Humane Animal Society on its official Facebook page, the mass dog re-vaccination drive is currently being carried out by eight dedicated teams comprising more than 50 members.
The teams are moving lane by lane and street by street to vaccinate dogs to ensure comprehensive coverage.
The organisation stated that the campaign is being conducted in partnership with Mission Rabies India and supported by the HCL Foundation, along with several local animal welfare groups and volunteers.
The effort, the organisation noted, is aimed not only at protecting street dogs but also at safeguarding entire communities from the threat of rabies. The campaign has been promoted online with the hashtag #RabiesFreeCoimbatore2025.
Clarifying the terminology, Dr Ramesh M, Professor at KIMS, Bengaluru, said what is commonly referred to as re-vaccination is essentially the annual booster dose recommended for dogs.
He pointed out that global animal health guidelines clearly mandate yearly rabies vaccination for dogs.
“According to World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) recommendations, dogs require a rabies booster every year,” he told South First, adding that this schedule applies throughout a dog’s lifetime.
Explaining the science behind the recommendation, Dr Ramesh said that the effectiveness of the rabies vaccine reduces over time.
Without annual booster doses, immunity levels in dogs can fall, increasing the risk of infection and transmission. For this reason, yearly vaccination is advised for all dogs, including pets and strays.
He noted that the vaccination schedule is already followed in Animal Birth Control (ABC) welfare programmes and large-scale dog vaccination drives, which are designed to ensure sustained immunity in the community dog population.
Highlighting the public health significance, Dr Ramesh explained that rabies is primarily transmitted from dogs to humans, and controlling the disease in dogs is the most effective way to protect people.
“If rabies is prevented in dogs, it will not be transmitted to humans. That is the core principle of the One Health approach, where veterinary and medical systems work together to control the disease at its source,” he said.
However, he cautioned against conflating rabies prevention with dog bite incidents.
While vaccination effectively prevents rabies, it does not prevent bites. Public health strategies, he said, need to address rabies control and dog bite prevention as two separate but equally important issues.
Medical experts underlined the importance of preventive measures. Dr Karthikeyan, a senior neurologist at MGM Healthcare in Chennai, explained that rabies attacks the nervous system and offers very little scope for treatment once symptoms appear.
“Once symptoms appear, there is very little that can be done,” he told South First.
He added that, In communities where people are frequently exposed to stray dogs, preventive measures like dog re-vaccination drives become extremely important to reduce the risk of fatal neurological damage.”
Highlighting that pet owners are usually aware of their dog’s vaccination history, he said such information is rarely available for stray dogs. “As not all street dogs are vaccinated, regular re-vaccination drives play a crucial role in preventing human exposure to rabies and protecting people in high-risk areas,” he added.
The re-vaccination drive is being conducted across Madukkarai, Arasipalayam, Nachipalayam, Vazhukkupparai, Malumachampatti, Othakkalmandapam, Seerapalayam and Karumathampatti.
Since the launch of the current campaign, more than 3,000 dogs have already been vaccinated, and organisers are confident of crossing the 6,000 mark by the end of the programme. Last year’s drive in these areas had vaccinated over 5,000 dogs, reinforcing the need for sustained annual coverage.
The campaign also includes the deployment of a Rabies Response Team trained to respond quickly to public calls, alongside ongoing vaccination and awareness activities across the district.
With continued annual efforts, they say Coimbatore can move closer to the long-term goal of eliminating rabies as a public health threat.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
