Latvia’s Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) specialists have commenced mandatory health inspections and vaccinations of pets of Ukrainian refugees that arrive in Latvia from Russia. This is necessary to reduce the risk of rabies in Latvia and the European Union. More and more Ukrainian refugees arrive in Latvia from Russia, as confirmed by PVD Director General Māris Balodis.
A couple of days ago PVD specialists stationed on Russian-Latvian border started inspecting every pet that cross the border together with their Ukrainian owners. All animals carried to Latvia undergo a full health inspection. Specialists have already inspected 80 animals. PVD Director General Māris Balodis comments: «Veterinarians that practice at the border checkpoint provide this service to pets of refugees. Animans are chipped, vaccinated and provided with certificates regardless if their owners wish to stay in Latvia or if they have plans to leave for another country.»
Those war refugees that arrive in Latvia together with pets arrive from other EU member states have to report to a veterinarian within five days of arrival to register, vaccinate and check the state of health of their pets. The cost of this service for refugees is covered by the state.
Balodis adds: «Veterinarians check the dog and documents. If a dog is not chipped, it gets chipped. If it is not vaccinated, it gets vaccinated.»
Data from PVD indicates that so far Latvian veterinarians have inspected 411 dogs and 272 cats from Ukraine. Only a quarter of them were vaccinated. Balodis told ReTV – there are currently no risks of rabies spreading in the European Union. «European Union has accepted risks to welcome refugees and provide humanitarian aid to people who arrived with their pets. Rabies is widespread in Ukraine – 1 000 to 1 500 cases a year are uncovered in this country every year. Risks are high. We have to be very careful.»
The World Organisation for Animal Health declared Latvia free of rabies in 2014.
The last time rabies was found in a wind animal in Latvia was 2010. The last time rabies was found in a domestic animal was 2012. To limit the spread of rabies, PVD performs regular vaccination of wild animals. «We vaccinate 30% of the territory close to the border with Russia and Belarus. If rabies appears in Latvia again, we will have to re-vaccinate the entire country again. It will be very expensive,» said PVD director general.
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Rabies is extremely dangerous. Its incubation period ranges from a couple of months to several years. The last time a human was diagnosed with rabies was 2019.