Boehringer Ingelheim donates approximately 100,000 pet rabies vaccine doses

Boehringer Ingelheim, a company specializing in veterinary rabies vaccines, has donated approximately 100,000 doses of rabies vaccines as part of its relaunched Shots for Good program. The vaccines will be used on tribal lands and in underserved communities throughout the US.

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"Boehringer Ingelheim fervently believes no animal should suffer from a preventable disease," stated Julie Ryan-Johnson, DVM, MBA, head veterinarian for shelters at Boehringer Ingelheim and board vice chair for Greater Good Charities, in a company release.¹ "Together with Greater Good Charities we can fight the presence of rabies on tribal lands and in underserved communities to keep pets healthier and happier for longer."

Rabies is nearly 100% fatal when clinical symptoms present.² Although it is vaccine-preventable, approximately 59,000 people still die from rabies each year around the world.² It is a significant risk in regions where dogs are not vaccinated as dogs are the primary source of human rabies deaths, consisting of up to 99% of all rabies transmissions to humans.³

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health launched Shots for Good 2019 in Puerto Rico and underserved communities in California, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, North Carolina, Louisana, Mississippi, and Florida. However, in 2020, the initiative was on hold because of global pandemic restrictions.

When Shots for Good was relaunched this year in partnership with the global nonprofit, Greater Good Charities, it has facilitated vaccination clinics throughout tribal lands in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Montana, and Utah. Other vaccines have been utilized in Hawaii as part of Greater Good Charities' Good Fix program which provides high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter to help control pet overpopulation in underserved communities.¹

"In observance of World Rabies Day, we recognize the positive impact of vaccination events to raise awareness about rabies and how to prevent this deadly disease," expressed Denise Bash, vice president at Greater Good Charities, in the release. "The generous vaccine donations from Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and the Shots for Good initiative helps to protect pets while making this important effort possible.”

References

1. Boehringer Ingelheim donates nearly 100,000 pet vaccine doses to help eliminate rabies around the world with relaunch of Shots for GoodSM initiative. News release. Boehringer Ingelheim. September 28, 2022. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/boehringer-ingelheim-donates-nearly-100-000-pet-vaccine-doses-to-help-eliminate-rabies-around-the-world-with-relaunch-of-shots-for-goodsm-initiative-301636061.html
2. Rabies. World Health Organization. May 17, 2021. Accessed September 29, 2022. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rabies
3. Oral rabies vaccine: a new strategy in the fight against rabies deaths. News release. World Health Organization. May 3, 2021. Accessed September 29, 2022. https://www.who.int/news/item/03-05-2021-oral-rabies-vaccine-a-new-strategy-in-the-fight-against-rabies-deaths