Rabies: a deadly risk at the gates of France
The DDPP of Var warns of the deadly danger of importing rabies by bringing back an animal from abroad before the holidays.
With the holidays, the Direction départementale de la protection des populations (DDPP) of Var warns against the deadly risk of importing rabies via animals from abroad. The DDPP has thus launched a crucial prevention campaign.
The goal is to raise awareness among travelers about the danger, often unrecognized, of reintroducing rabies to French territory by importing animals from countries where the disease is still endemic.
A deadly disease and still present
While metropolitan France is declared rabies-free, the disease has not disappeared globally. The virus, fatal in almost all cases once symptoms appear, is responsible for one death every 9 to 10 minutes worldwide.
Vigilance therefore remains essential, particularly regarding imports of animals coming from areas where the virus circulates actively, such as Eastern Europe or the Maghreb countries.
A major health risk
A dog or a cat adopted at a holiday destination, out of compassion or on a whim, can carry the virus without showing immediate signs. It thus constitutes a major health threat upon arrival in France.
Therefore, any introduction of a domestic carnivore (dog, cat, ferret) into French territory is strictly regulated. These rules are not simple administrative formalities, but essential shields to protect public and animal health. Illegal importation, by bypassing veterinary controls, mandatory vaccination, and identification, poses a risk to the entire population and domestic animals.
Article from the paper edition of La Gazette du Var