family Rhabdoviridae, the genus Lyssavirus

And basically the species Rabies.

I was just thinking back to my childhood, growing up in the suburbs of Glasgow and Edinburgh and I remembered the uncle who was coming over from Holland to visit us. He wasn't allowed to bring his dog.

All animals in those days (late 70's early 80's) had to go through 6 months quarantine to get into the country.
Isn't that weird?

Anyways, it got me thinking about all the rabies scares that were rife in those times. There were even horror series and films (like Cujo) about it.
I distinctly remember thinking: "Yeah. Like I'm EVER gonna set my foot off this safe little island!"

Do you remember this?
The outbreak of rabies on the Belgian French border or something? People dying all over the place, animals being put down and other animals being hunted before they...well, I presume before they got to the squirrels.

I've lived in Holland a good many years now and I've lived in several other countries...and not once, not one single time, has there ever been a breakout of rabies.

How's this possible? How could mainland Europe in the 1970's have been a "Night of the rabid dogs" scenario and now...it's not?
Where did all the rabies go?

And what about birds? Can't birds carry rabies? Surely all the rabid birds would have flown over to Britain in their rabid states without customs grabbing them and sentencing them to 6 months solitary confinement?

I, and this is my little conspiracy thought for the day, have come to the conclusion that family Rhabdoviridae, the genus Lyssavirus and basically the species Rabies is a farce!

Bring on those rabid, drooling dogs of terror! Where are they?
Show me one drooling man with a mad look in his eyes, canine bite marks on his leg, who's not a right-wing Christian and I'll revise my theory!

Originally posted by shavixmir
...And what about birds? Can't birds carry rabies? Surely all the rabid birds would have flown over to Britain in their rabid states without customs grabbing them and sentencing them to 6 months solitary confinement?

Have you ever wondered what the symptons of Rabies are?
Well, I've discovered a truly insightful site, full of tips about dealing with Rabies:

If puppies become infected they will become overly friendly and playfull, but will most likely bite you if you try to play back. As the puppy gets sicker it will become more vicious and won't want to play as much, so its important not to play with puppies that might be sick with the virus.

http://duke.usask.ca/~misra/virology/stud2003/rabies/what_does_rabies_do.html

So there you go. Don't play with sick puppies they'll make you drool and kill you.

A small history lesson based on what I remember from college. The rabies outbreaks in the 60s and 70s were predominately due to foxes in the UK, transference to dogs etc. occurring afterwards. The government here, and others across Europe, began a very intesive and also, it turns out, effective campaign of dropping processed meat chunks with rabies combating drugs in them all over the place. It was so widespread and effective that there hasn't been a case of rabies in the UK in 30 odd years. It is quite likely that quarantine laws set up to combat rabies will be eventually abandoned, and the dog passport system in place at the moment will become compulsory but easier to access.

So, no slobbering crazy canines for you Shav, sorry 🙁

Originally posted by Starrman
A small history lesson based on what I remember from college. The rabies outbreaks in the 60s and 70s were predominately due to foxes in the UK, transference to dogs etc. occurring afterwards. The government here, and others across Europe, began a very intesive and also, it turns out, effective campaign of dropping processed meat chunks with rabies combat ...[text shortened]... ecome compulsory but easier to access.

So, no slobbering crazy canines for you Shav, sorry 🙁

Originally posted by Toe
None too sure about birds, but there have been a few cases of bats getting rabies and then being blown accross the Channel to ol' blighty. Nothing much happened. Apparently.

Originally posted by Starrman
A small history lesson based on what I remember from college. The rabies outbreaks in the 60s and 70s were predominately due to foxes in the UK, transference to dogs etc. occurring afterwards. The government here, and others across Europe, began a very intesive and also, it turns out, effective campaign of dropping processed meat chunks with rabies combat ...[text shortened]... ecome compulsory but easier to access.

So, no slobbering crazy canines for you Shav, sorry 🙁

The second person to survive rabies just came out of a long comma just a few months ago. The person is brain dammaged for good.
Its a bad thing to catch if there are only 2 survivors from it in the world.

If you are bitten....
....by a wild animals: an animal control officer should sacrifice the animal.

http://www.cfainc.org/articles/rabies.html

The Old Testament rituals live on!

Where did all the rabies go?

It's mostly in bats and dogs...though I guess not that many of the latter. Don't forget viruses multiply!

So, I run in 35 degrees heat with a massive backpack on my back up the motorway.

I wouldn't run from a dog. I'd freeze and protect my vital spots. I've had huge scary dogs get in my face...they generally won't bite. You can't outrun them and they love to chase prey...

Originally posted by Weadley
The second person to survive rabies just came out of a long comma just a few months ago. The person is brain dammaged for good.
Its a bad thing to catch if there are only 2 survivors from it in the world.