Picture yourself at home, focused on your computer, when your playful dog or cat jumps onto your desk and nips your hand while playing.
For many pet owners, such bites or scratches may appear harmless, but veterinarians warn that even minor injuries can pose a serious health risk if the animal has not been vaccinated against rabies.
“People often ignore these incidents because they consider their pets harmless,” Dr Abdul Aziz Al Mamun, director of the Central Veterinary Hospital in Dhaka, told the Dhaka Tribune.
He advised pet owners to keep a safe distance from animals that show signs of agitation, noting that even familiar pets can bite or scratch unexpectedly.
He also stressed that regular vaccination and proper care are fundamental to preventing rabies.
The warning comes as the number of people seeking treatment after animal bites continues to rise in Bangladesh, while rabies deaths are still being reported.
According to the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Dhaka, 146,243 people sought outpatient treatment after animal bites in 2025, compared with 122,263 in 2024.
By September 17 this year, around 107,000 people had already sought treatment.
As Bangladesh observes World Rabies Day 2026 on Monday, veterinarians and public health officials are urging pet owners to take greater responsibility for vaccination and animal care.
Vaccination starts with the pet
Pet owners should ensure their dogs and cats receive rabies vaccinations on the schedule recommended by veterinarians.
Keeping a pet indoors does not by itself eliminate the risk of rabies.
Vaccination protects the animal and reduces the potential risk to people who come into contact with it.
Owners should also keep vaccination records and consult a veterinarian about booster doses and other preventive care.
Department of Livestock Services Director (Extension) Dr Begum Shamsunnahar Ahmed said vaccination is essential to preventing the spread of rabies.
“There is no alternative to vaccinating animals,” she said.
She also called for stray dogs and cats to be vaccinated rather than killed, saying vaccination is an important tool for breaking the transmission cycle.
She warned people not to dismiss a bite or scratch simply because it came from a familiar pet.
The wound should be washed immediately and thoroughly with soap and running water, after which the injured person should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Doctors will assess the nature of the exposure and the animal involved to determine whether rabies vaccination or rabies immunoglobulin is required.
Dr Shamsunnahar urged people not to rely on traditional remedies following an animal bite.
“Do not depend on faith healing (jhar-fuk), water or ointments. The wound must be washed with soap and water and medical attention should be sought quickly,” she said.
Veterinarians say even normally friendly dogs and cats can behave unpredictably when frightened, disturbed while eating, protecting their young or responding to sudden movements.
Dr Abdul Aziz advised pet owners to remain alert and give animals adequate space when they appear agitated.
Children should also be taught not to tease or provoke pets, particularly while the animals are eating, sleeping or caring for their young.
Cat bites becoming a concern
Although dogs remain the main source of human rabies infections, health workers are increasingly seeing patients seeking treatment after cat bites and scratches.
A doctor at the Infectious Diseases Hospital said many of the patients arriving at the vaccination center had been attacked by cats.
She said many pet owners do not vaccinate their cats and that incidents involving cat bites and scratches have increased over the past 3-4 years.
The growing popularity of pet cats has added another dimension to the country's rabies prevention efforts, particularly in urban areas.
Rabies deaths continue
The increase in animal-bite cases is a concern because rabies is almost invariably fatal once clinical symptoms develop.
Bangladesh recorded 58 rabies deaths in 2024 and 59 in 2025, while 35 deaths were reported during the first 2.5 months of this year, according to information provided by health authorities.
The Directorate General of Health Services does not maintain comprehensive nationwide data on the total number of people bitten by dogs and cats.
Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that rabies causes around 59,000 deaths each year, with dogs responsible for about 99% of human rabies infections.
However, rabies is preventable if people receive appropriate post-exposure treatment promptly after a potentially risky bite or scratch.
Prevention requires action beyond pets
State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku said greater awareness, wider animal vaccination and timely treatment could significantly reduce rabies infections and deaths in Bangladesh.
“Prevention is more important than controlling the disease after it occurs,” he said at a World Rabies Day discussion in Dhaka on Monday.
He called for stronger rabies prevention activities in both urban and rural areas, particularly where awareness remains low.
Bangladesh has run an integrated rabies control program since 2010, covering dog vaccination, population control, public awareness and treatment for people exposed to the virus.
According to DGHS data, the program vaccinated around 2.9 million dogs in more than 60 districts.
The first round of vaccination was completed in all 64 districts, while subsequent rounds covered fewer districts.
Officials involved in disease-control activities have said the program effectively stalled after the change of government in 2024, with funding shortages preventing renewed dog vaccination and population-control campaigns.
DLS Director General Md Shahjahan Khan said dog vaccination and population-control programs should be expanded nationwide rather than being concentrated in Dhaka.
For Dhaka's growing community of pet owners, veterinarians say rabies prevention begins with responsible pet ownership: keeping vaccinations up to date, understanding an animal's behavior, avoiding situations that may trigger bites or scratches and seeking medical attention promptly after any potentially risky exposure.
