rabies in vancouver: a warning, and a story from zipolite

A public safety warning and a personal story from Mexico

Things are happening, and I don't know whether it's climate-related, El Niño, or simply another reminder that the world around us is changing. I do know that we need to pay attention.

On October 21, news broke that a skunk in Vancouver's West End had tested positive for rabies after biting several people. Those who were bitten have received preventive treatment, but Vancouver Coastal Health is warning anyone who may have been bitten or scratched by a sick or abnormally behaving skunk in the area between September 22 and October 17 to seek assessment.

Rabies is serious. Please don't approach or handle wildlife that is acting strangely. Keep your pets' vaccinations up to date, and if you are bitten or scratched by a potentially infected animal, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately.

Read the news report.

I have my own rabies story.

a rabies story from zipolite

About 20 years ago, when my kid was little, I tried to enrol them in kindergarten in Mexico.

What a disaster.

There were big misunderstandings involving languages, camionetas, and just about everything else. But something good came out of that experience: I reconnected with friends I'd first met seven years earlier.

My friend wasn't there that day. Her husband and child were, along with my kid, who was sitting on the back of a motorbike.

And I'm thinking, what the heck is going on?

We were trying to catch up, the kids were talking and laughing, and I asked where my friend K was.

That's when I heard she'd been bitten by a rabid cat.

What?

I was standing there trying to process that information while everyone else was carrying on. S and O had to leave, so I didn't get the whole story right then.

Later, I learned what had happened.

A rabid cat had entered their home. My friend was washing dishes, or doing something similar, when the cat latched onto her ankle with its teeth and claws.

She was screaming. Her husband came to help and had to kill the cat to get it to release its grip.

She received rabies shots. When I eventually saw the wound, it looked horrible.

This happened in Zipolite, Oaxaca, about two decades ago.

how things change

Back then, people didn't generally have cats as pets, and there was a serious rat problem.

Then Stephan, a veterinarian from Switzerland, arrived and started doing a lot of great work. Over time, I saw a change. More people had cats and dogs, and many made a real effort to care for them.

That is the part of the story I want to remember, too. People can make a difference when they put time, care and effort into their communities.

But caring for animals also means taking animal health seriously.

Whether you're in Vancouver, Mexico, or somewhere else in the world, don't assume an animal is safe to approach just because it looks familiar. A normally friendly animal can become ill, and wildlife behaving unusually should be left alone.

Rabies is preventable after exposure if the right treatment is given promptly, but once symptoms develop, it is almost always fatal.

Please be careful out there. Look after yourselves, your children and your animals. And if you see wildlife behaving strangely, keep your distance and contact the appropriate authorities.

Sometimes a personal story from 20 years ago is a good reminder for today.

#RabiesAwareness #Vancouver #WildlifeSafety #AnimalWelfare #Zipolite #Oaxaca #PublicHealth #ResponsiblePetOwnership #StaySafe #WaterIsLife