Historical December 1976 People’s Clinic reporting. Fees, funding needs, contact details and health information describe the period, not current services or medical guidance.
We recently got a copy of the St. Louis Department of Health and Hospital’s Weekly Health Letter, which started off, “Although your dog is normally securely confined within your house or yard, and exercises only on a leash, because of its close association with you it must be vaccinated annually against rabies.”
After whooping, choking, and gasping—they sure don’t know OUR neighborhood!—we began to read seriously. Their intent was to remind hunters that dogs in the field (and hunting season is coming upon us) are exposed to rabies from wild animals, and therefore should have their rabies shots at least two weeks before going out.
But down in the fine print, there are some alarming statistics. The City of St. Louis, luckily, has not had a case of rabies in 18 years —but in 1974, 638 persons were referred to the Pasteur Clinic because of dog bites, and 94 persons had to take the complete Pasteur treatment for rabies. When you realize that this means a long series of injections, preferably given into the muscles of the abdomen (that’s right—the belly muscles!), and that all of this could have been prevented by rabies shots for pet dogs, and keeping dogs confined, then it adds up to 94 PAINFUL TREATMENTS TOO MANY! They go on to report that the Dog Catchers, those much maligned men, picked up over 6,600 stray animals last year, and impounded another 1,685 for .observation.
We all complain about stray dogs that turn over trash cans, roam the alleys and terrorize people. But, did you realize that those same dogs have the potential to carry disease (not only rabies, but distemper and worms) that can carry off the dog who is confined, to his own yard? That those same stray dogs have room to form dog packs—right over in Forest Park? And can injure our kids?
Scary, isn’t it?
Do we need better reasons for keeping dogs safely confined, and getting them properly vaccinated? The People’s Clinic certainly hopes not!
Originally published in The Paper, December 1976.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1976_12.pdf, printed page(s) 6; PDF page(s) 6.
