Abstract:
Despite being vaccine preventable, the global burden of dog rabies remains significant,
and historically it is the rural and marginalized communities in developing countries of Africa
and Asia that are most threatened by the disease. In recent years, the developing world has been
experiencing unprecedented increases in urbanization, with a correspondingly massive increase in
municipal solid waste generation, among other things. Inefficient and inadequate waste collection
and management, due to lack of resources and planning, led to significant increases in the volumes
of waste on the streets and in open dumps, where it serves as food sources for free-roaming dogs. In
this commentary, we discuss examples of poor waste management and the likely impact on rabies
control efforts through the sustenance of free-roaming dogs in some dog rabies-endemic countries.
We aim to stress the importance of implementing strategies that effectively address this particular
issue as an important component of humane dog population management, as it relates to aspirations
for the control and elimination of dog rabies per se.
