Rabies

The Official School of Veterinarians of the Region claims to have vaccinated 70,000 dogs against rabies. However, they say that there are about 40,000 that are not vaccinated and 18,000 that are not identified with a chip.

There has been an  increase, in the last three years, of dogs bought in from Eastern European countries that are not vaccinated. These imported dogs represent 10% of the 110,000 dogs in the Region.

Yorkshire terriers and English bulldogs, bought in  Rumania, Czech Republic and Slovakia, are about 40% cheaper than Spanish bred dogs (240€ as opposed to 400€).

The gypsy camps of illegal immigrants from Eastern Europe such as  as the one which was dismantled in the Murcian district of Patiño pose another problem. These people  bring unvaccinated dogs  into the region which, if they bite people, could transmit rabies.

There have been two cases of dogs with rabies reported in Ceuta and France