World Animal Vaccination Day promotes the importance of vaccination in all animals. More than 100 animal diseases can be prevented through vaccination, helping to protect many species including dogs, cats, cattle, swine, poultry, horses, sheep, exotic pets, fish and wild animals.
The Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed) focuses on 12 neglected livestock diseases that have a devastating impact on 900 million small-scale livestock keepers in Africa and South Asia who rely on livestock for their livelihood. The organisation works with its partners to ensure livestock vaccines, medicines and diagnostics are available and accessible.
Vaccination not only protects animal health and improves welfare through reduced disease, it is also vital to protect human health. Scientists estimate that more than 6 out of every 10 infectious diseases in humans are spread from animals. GALVmed works on four neglected zoonotic diseases – brucellosis, porcine cysticercosis, Rift Valley Fever and Trypanosomosis. Vaccines are key to limiting the future spread of infectious diseases from animals to people around the world.
The day was launched by HealthforAnimals and the World Veterinary Association.
To find out more about GALVmed’s impact on livestock health, visit our Protecting Livestock blog.