Rabies Travel Guidance
Travel safe. Know the steps to take. Act fast.
Safe at home doesn’t mean safe abroad. Rabies is one of the world’s deadliest and oldest known diseases to humanity – and it’s still present in over 150 countries and territories across the globe. It’s vital that you know how to protect yourself and your loved ones when travelling – it could be the difference between life and death.
Our Mission Rabies project has been working to stop the spread of rabies since 2013, vaccinating over 7 million dogs and reaching over 18 million people with life-saving rabies prevention lessons. Read on to find out how you can keep you and your loved ones safe.
Rabies is a global problem
Rabies risk by country.
This map shows rabies risk status by country, categorised as No Risk, Low Risk, or High Risk. This uses information taken from the UK government website, always check with a medical professional before travelling. Map last updated: 1st July 2026. Please check the government website for the latest travel guidance.
What is rabies?
Rabies is a horrific and deadly virus that infects the central nervous system. A disease so dangerous that once symptoms appear, it is already too late – rabies is fatal.
The incubation period for rabies is typically two to three months, but it can range from one week to one year.
Rabies can infect and kill any mammal, and dogs are the number one source of rabies transmission to people worldwide. That doesn’t mean we should fear dogs. It means we need to understand rabies prevention.
How do I keep myself and others safe?
Check if you are travelling to a country with a risk of rabies. If you are, speak to a health professional to get a course of pre-exposure rabies vaccinations to protect yourself. This is especially important if you are going to be working with or interacting with animals.
I love dogs, how do I stay safe around them?
Rabies is transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal. When visiting a rabies hotspot, knowing how to act around dogs can protect you and the people you are travelling with. If you are interacting with dogs abroad, follow these steps to protect yourself from being scratched or bitten. Any mammal can carry rabies – be cautious around all animals when abroad.
If you are interacting with dogs abroad, follow these steps to protect yourself from being scratched or bitten.
Steps for staying safe
What should I do after a dog bite or scratch?
A bite or scratch from an animal can be a medical emergency in countries where rabies is present. Acting quickly could save your life.
There are three crucial steps:
WASH - Wash the wound immediately with soap and running water for 15 minutes.
DISINFECT - Apply iodine/betadine if available. Do not cover the wound or use home remedies.
VISIT HOSPITAL - Seek medical attention immediately for post-exposure rabies vaccination. Do not wait until you return to your home country.
IMPORTANT: Even if you have received pre-exposure rabies vaccination, you will still need post-exposure vaccination after a bite or scratch.
Further information is available from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Remember these key steps
Check
Check whether you are visiting an area where rabies is present, and get vaccinated before your trip.
Caution
Be cautious when interacting with animals, especially dogs.
First Aid
If you are bitten or scratched by a dog, seek immediate medical attention to receive rabies vaccinations.
There is no cure for rabies once symptoms show – Don’t wait. Rabies won’t.
Rabies FAQs
In dogs the furious form of rabies shows itself through:
Restlessness
A change in bark
Sensitivity to sound and movement
Uncontrollable aggression
Throat paralysis or hanging jaw
Build-up of excess saliva through an inability to swallow
The paralytic form is the most prevalent form of rabies in dogs and leads to:
Increasing muscle weakness
Lethargy or lack of energy
Ataxia – a lack of coordination
Gradual paralysis
In people the furious form of rabies shows itself through:
Hyperactivity – being unusually or abnormally active
Hyper salivation – excessive saliva and the loss of the ability to swallow, causing drooling
Periods of agitation alternating with lucidity
Hydrophobia (fear of water)
Aerophobia - an aversion to fresh air and drafts
People with the less common paralytic form of rabies suffer with:
Muscle weakness starting at the site of infection
Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) was founded in 2003 with a mission to improve animal welfare around the world. In 2013, WVS launched Mission Rabies to protect both people and animals in communities affected by rabies.
Mission Rabies works to eliminate the disease through large-scale dog vaccination campaigns in rabies hotspots, community education and engagement programmes, and disease surveillance. By vaccinating dogs - the primary source of rabies transmission to humans - we can break the cycle of infection and save lives.
Learn more about WVS and our wider work on our How We Help page.
Be prepared and stay safe
Discover more about how to keep yourself and your family safe with our rabies travel advice leaflet. Sign up to receive our free leaflet, plus updates from our global projects.
© 2026
WVS is a UK registered charity (1100485)
WVS USA is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization
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