The Colonial State, African Dog-Owners, and the Political Economy of Rabies Vaccination Campaigns in Southern Rhodesia in the 1950s and 1960s

Global Dog and Human Rabies Control Efforts from Ancient Times to 2030 and Beyond

“…At the same time, authorities also taxed dog owners and killed freeroaming dogs. As before, such measures affected native African dog owners and their dogs more severely, so local Africans opposed these measures or actively circumvented them (Dande, 2021). Such actions significantly reduced the effectiveness of rabies control efforts in these areas.…”

“…Victorian Period in the UK and the Colonization Period in Asia and Africa With the advent of European sea travel and eventual colonialism, there are increasing records of canine rabies caused by RABV in sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas, as well as detailed descriptions of canine rabies in several regions in Asia (Kuwert et al, 1985;Ward, 2014;Rupprecht et al, 2020;Dande, 2021). At the same time, rabies was also reported in various wildlife hosts (Rupprecht et al, 2020), resulting in sustained attempts to cull wildlife (Kuwert et al, 1985;Brown, 2011;Radhakrishnan et al, 2020).…”

“…While similar control measures were implemented in colonies in Asia and Africa, there appears to have been limited success in controlling the spread of rabies (Brown, 2011;Radhakrishnan et al, 2020). In Africa, measures such as 'tie up' orders for free-roaming dogs, most of which were owned, were unpopular (Brown, 2011;Rupprecht et al, 2020;Dande, 2021). In the early 1890s, an outbreak of dog rabies in Port Elizabeth in present-day South Africa prompted authorities to enforce the muzzling of all dogs, movement restrictions, licensing of owned dogs and destruction of 'stray' or unmuzzled dogs.…”

“…In the early 1890s, an outbreak of dog rabies in Port Elizabeth in present-day South Africa prompted authorities to enforce the muzzling of all dogs, movement restrictions, licensing of owned dogs and destruction of 'stray' or unmuzzled dogs. As observed in the UK, such measures disproportionately targeted poorer African neighbourhoods and their indigenous breed dogs, which were viewed as inferior or diseased and often considered vermin to be exterminated (Brown, 2011;Dande, 2021). In British India, where canine rabies was enzootic, legislation permitting the destruction of ownerless dogs was present as early as 1813.…”