title: Examining dog owners' beliefs regarding rabies vaccination during government-funded vaccine clinics in Grenada to improve vaccine coverage rates.
abstract: Vaccination of domestic pets is an important component of rabies control and prevention in countries where the disease is maintained in a wildlife reservoir. In Grenada, vaccine coverage rates were low, despite extensive public education and advertising of government-sponsored vaccine clinics where rabies vaccine is administered to animals at no cost to animal owners. Information was needed on reasons for decreased dog owner participation in government-funded rabies vaccination clinics. A total of 120 dog owners from 6 different parishes were asked to complete a questionnaire assessing their currently held beliefs about rabies vaccination and perception of the risk posed by rabies. Over 70% of respondents believed that problems in the organization and management of clinic sites could allow for fighting between dogs or disease spread among dogs, while 35% of owners did not believe that they had the ability or adequate help to bring their dogs to the clinic sites. Recommendations for improving vaccine coverage rates included: improved scheduling of clinic sites and dates; increased biosecurity at clinic locations; focused advertising on the availability of home visits, particularly for aggressive dogs or dogs with visible skin-related diseases such as mange; and the recruitment of community volunteers to assist with bringing dogs to the clinic sites.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary and Livestock Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministerial Complex, Tanteen St. George's, Grenada, WI, USA. dennisdthomas@yahoo.com
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Louison
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lefrancois
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shaw
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D019425:Grenada; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011818:Rabies / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology* / Q000662:veterinary; D055815:Young Adult