Dog vaccination levels revealed

Most dog owners recognise the importance of vaccination to their pets, new research reveals.

The survey by health and welfare organisation NOAH, released as part of World Animal Vaccination Day on 20 April, shows 94% of dog owners said their pets had been vaccinated, with 67% believing vaccination is essential to protect their pet.

The research also reveals the concerns dog owners have about vaccination, which include potential risks and not knowing anyone who had pets with diseases that are vaccinated against.

However, some dog owners felt vaccination was unnecessary as their pet was not ill or did not know regular vaccinations were needed.

Dawn Howard, NOAH Chief Executive, said: “It can be easy to forget the positive impact that vaccines have, because they continue to be successful at controlling disease in our pets, meaning we don’t see many cases. Yet disease remains out there: when vaccination rates fall below certain levels the risk of disease outbreak increases. By keeping the risk of infection at bay in the population, we can protect against animal pain and suffering, and the need for expensive and difficult treatments.”

She added that making best use of the vaccines already available, sits alongside the development of new technologies, in the fight to protect animals from disease.