Hundreds of dogs, jackals, and foxes have entered Israel from Lebanon and Syria, raising concerns about the potential spread of rabies to central Israel, warns Dr. Orin Elron, head of veterinary inspection for the Gush Dan Veterinary Services.
"We are on heightened alert," she noted.
"Due to the war in the north, the borders have opened, allowing free movement of animals—jackals, foxes, and dogs. Rabies is active in Syria and Lebanon," she explained. "Each year, oral vaccines are distributed by air along the northern border, but this year, because of the war, the distribution was limited and conducted manually."
Another reason for the increased rabies risk in the north is that "tens of thousands of residents have been evacuated from their homes, leaving many stray dogs out of sight," she explained. This could potentially spread to other areas, including Gush Dan.
In November, a shepherd from northern Israel passed away after being bitten by his rabies-infected dog. Neurological symptoms only appeared about a month later. The shepherd, approximately 77 years old and from the Nazareth area, was hospitalized at the Emek Medical Center in Afula, where doctors later pronounced his death.
"The symptoms appeared in the shepherd's body about five weeks after the bite, and in the meantime, the dog had already died," explained Dr. Elron. "In cases of rabies, it is critical to receive medical treatment within the first 24 hours."
Dr. Orin Elron highlights an alarming increase in rabies cases among animals in northern Israel. Over the past year, 53 rabies cases were diagnosed compared to 45 the previous year, with a sharp rise among dogs: 17 cases this year versus only two last year.
Dr. Elron warns about the risk of rabies spreading to Gush Dan through animals brought from Lebanon and Syria. "A resident of Ramat Gan contacted us, saying her son planned to return from Syria with a stray dog he had taken pity on. We informed her of the risks and that stray dogs must not be brought into the country," she recounted. In another case, a stray dog found in Ramat Gan turned out to have been brought from Lebanon by a soldier.
The dog escaped after being temporarily kept by a northern family visiting friends in Ramat Gan. "The dog was located and placed under a 90-day quarantine to ensure it was rabies-free," Alron explained. Dogs arriving from Lebanon and Syria are subject to three months of quarantine due to unknown health histories.
The family, surprised to learn the dog was found, agreed to cover the quarantine costs, which can reach thousands of shekels. They requested to reclaim the dog after quarantine to return it to the soldier.
Measures Against Rabies in Gush Dan
Dr. Elron outlined the steps taken by the Gush Dan Veterinary Services in light of rabies concerns:
- Prohibiting the import of dogs from Lebanon and Syria due to active rabies in these regions.
- Mandatory vaccination of all dogs to protect animals and their owners.
- Increased patrols to locate stray dogs and enforce penalties against unvaccinated dog owners. Starting in January, fines will be issued to those who fail to vaccinate their dogs, and reminders are being sent to owners with expired vaccinations.
- Vaccination campaigns, in addition to daily vaccinations, are provided by veterinary services.
- Raising public awareness and encouraging immediate reporting of stray dogs.
The region under Gush Dan Veterinary Services covers approximately 38,000 dogs across ten municipalities, including Ramat Gan, Givatayim, Bnei Brak, Shoham, and others. About 85% of dogs in these municipalities are estimated to have up-to-date rabies vaccinations.
What to do after a bite
Clean the wound and report the bite immediately to the Ministry of Health.
Dogs are placed in quarantine for 10 days (for dogs not from Lebanon or Syria) to confirm they are rabies-free.
Owners bear the quarantine costs.
Rabies Vaccine Validity
As of April, the rabies vaccine for dogs vaccinated twice is valid for two years.