Cape Town - A Cape fur seal attacked by dogs at Bloubergstrand has raised concern over the spread of rabies among the seal population.
This comes after a case of rabies was confirmed in the Cape Peninsula in a pet dog in Noordhoek that exhibited symptoms such as fever and increased aggression. The Western Cape Veterinary Services confirmed the Cape fur seal off the coast at Big Bay recently tested positive for rabies.
Belinda Abraham, spokesperson for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, emphasised the importance of avoiding seals at present.
“The public is advised to stay away from all seals.
“A further two suspected cases are awaiting confirmation, and these are from different areas along our coastline,” said Abraham.
Kim Krynauw from the Hout Bay Seal Rescue Centre said: “There is only one seal that they did a brain autopsy on and the seal showed signs of rabies. That particular seal was attacked by dogs before it was rescued.
“There is only one case; there is not an outbreak of rabies among seals. Seals are wild animals, and we advise people to stay away from them,” said Krynauw.
She also urged pet owners to “keep your dogs on a leash when near a seal, and remove dogs from seals as dogs agitate the seals”.
The City of Cape Town has issued a warning to the public to take extra precautions to stay away from Cape fur seals.
“This precaution applies to the entire Cape Peninsula coastline. Any person bitten by a seal is urged to seek immediate medical attention and to notify the relevant authorities.
“The same applies to any pet bitten by a seal. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases hotline doctors have been advised to recommend post-exposure prophylaxis for anyone who is bitten by a seal,” the City said.
The Western Cape Department of Agriculture said the source of the infection in the province is being investigated.
“A case of rabies has been confirmed in a pet dog residing in the Capri area of the Southern Peninsula in Cape Town.
“Both the infected dog and a younger dog from the same household, which was injured, were humanely euthanised.
“Rabies is not endemic in wild animals in the City of Cape Town, with the closest wildlife cases in the past reported in the Paarl area.
“Rabies outbreaks can be entirely prevented by vaccinating dogs and cats.
“By law, all dogs and cats in South Africa must be vaccinated against rabies by their owners. Failure to vaccinate pets can result in the animals being euthanised if they come into contact with a rabid animal, and owners may be held liable for any damage caused if their animal becomes rabid,” the department said.