Targeted Rabies Outreach to Increase Awareness and Reduce Risk

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

The Los Angeles County (LAC) Department of Public Health (DPH) Veterinary Public Health Program (VPH) is responsible for rabies surveillance and control in LAC. A general lack of awareness about bat rabies is a public health issue which results in preventable rabies exposures, increased medical costs, and the lack of preventive measures such as pet immunization and bat exclusion from homes. A 2017 survey of local veterinarians demonstrated that they were also unaware that rabid bats had been detected near 85% of clinics in the previous decade. In 2018, VPH developed a targeted outreach and education campaign to increase awareness of bat rabies and inform about steps people could take to reduce risk. The goals were to: 1) Educate residents in neighborhoods where a rabid bat was found, and 2) Contact veterinary practices within five miles to request assistance with public education about the rabid bats and encourage clients to keep their pet’s rabies immunizations up to date. The outreach effort led to an increase in bats being tested and found rabid, general awareness about bat rabies, and a reduction of people handling bats with their bare hands.