Dog Bite Awareness Saves Lives in Liberia

A class on dog bite prevention and rabies awareness, builds bridges between people and dogs and saves human and animal lives.

A Real Danger 

In the US we rarely think about rabies–in a nation of 340 million, there are only about 400 human cases a year, most caused by bat bites. In contrast, in Liberia, there are over 2,600 cases of suspected rabies, that’s more than six times the amount of cases in the US, in a country that has 1.6% of the population. Almost all of these cases come from dog bites.

A Strong Partnership

That is why Global Strays has partnered with Liberia Animal Welfare and Conservation Society (LAWCS) to educate kids on rabies, and how and when to approach dogs as part of animal welfare classes at schools throughout Monrovia. 

It is hard to overstate the importance of addressing rabies in Liberia. Increasingly rare in the US, rabies is known as a neglected tropical disease (NTD), a group of tropical infections common in low-income populations in developing regions of the global south. Rabies vaccines for animals keep transmission extremely low in the US but it is especially difficult to eradicate in countries with large stray dogs populations like Liberia.

Shifting Perceptions

As part of the Animal Welfare classes kids learn two related issues.  First they are taught to recognize signs of rabies in animals, early detection, and what to do if they are bitten or scratched by an animal. Second, they are shown how to approach dogs safereducing their risk of getting bitten or scratched. Teaching kids to read animals’ body language has had significant results.

As Jacklin, one high schooler noted, “I have changed my way of acting around dogs because I used to be afraid…I learned the tips for dog bite prevention, I used to run whenever I see a dog, I thought the dog would bite me but I am not afraid anymore.” 

Prior to these classes, even though dogs who bite kids were often killed, the number of bite incidents among kids remained the same, but when  LAWCS began educating kids, bite incidents dropped significantly. 

LAWCS  and Global Strays have worked together to create materials that resonate. For the youngest kids it can look as simple as drawing  a heart around images of animals that show that they are open to be petted and an X over images of animals that are hinting they would rather be left alone, for older kids this might mean debating how best to fight rabies in Liberia or learning how to be an effective rabies ambassador in their community.

Far Reaching Results

This program encapsulates the importance of a “One Health” approach, recognizing that human animal and environmental health are all interconnected. Teaching about dog bites and rabies in schools safeguards kids–often the most vulnerable and most likely to be infected by a sick dog. It has ripple effects that extend far beyond these classrooms , as kids teach their families and communities. Dogs’ lives also improve because kids are less likely to be aggressive to dogs, and fewer dogs are killed. Finally, Rabid dogs, the primary rabies host or reservoir, are more likely to be identified and removed from the streets, which reduces transmission into the wild.

These are far reaching results for what are essentially a few classes in grade schools throughout Monrovia.