Panaji: A joint survey by Mission Rabies and the Goa Institute of Management has revealed serious gaps in Goa’s rabies control efforts, with nearly a third of pet-owning households failing to vaccinate animals and sterilisation rates stuck at just 24.9%.The study is based on a March-April 2026 household survey across the proposed rabies-free model villages—Colvale in North Goa and Velim in South Goa—covering 1,431 households and more than 6,100 individuals. The study also recorded 63 dog bite cases, with some victims not receiving life-saving treatment.It states that reliance on traditional remedies such as turmeric, chilli paste and hot iron remain widespread.Submitted to the Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, the report highlights poor access to veterinary services, widespread myths and weak public health follow-up, warning that preventable rabies deaths remain a real risk without urgent intervention.Field observations reveal that entire wards lack nearby veterinary services, making routine vaccination and sterilisation difficult. Free govt services exist but remain largely unknown at the community level. There is no comprehensive pet registration system, no reliable bite-reporting mechanism and no unified surveillance framework linking animal and human health data.The report highlights an “awareness-action disconnect” wherein residents understand rabies and vaccination but do not act due to inconvenience, misinformation, or lack of access. Even households with children—the most vulnerable—had not vaccinated their pets.Against this backdrop, govt’s “Model Village” initiative is being positioned. The project aims to transform Colvale and Velim into rabies-free zones through mass vaccination, large-scale sterilisation and sustained door-to-door education. The report clarifies that success will depend on urgent action, not symbolic launches. It calls for mobile vaccination units for underserved areas, mandatory pet registration at the panchayat level, myth-busting campaigns, and the integration of rabies education into the school curriculum.
