World Zoonoses Day is marked every year on 6 July. Zoonoses are diseases that pass between animals and people, such as rabies. The day marks 6 July 1885, when Louis Pasteur first gave his rabies vaccine to a person.
This year
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Monday, 6 July |
| 2027 | Tuesday, 6 July |
What India did on the day in 2026
- A national plan: the Union Health Ministry held a national consultation in New Delhi on the draft National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Zoonoses, built on the One Health approach (human, animal and environmental health together). The plan will also guide states and union territories in making their own plans.
- Training material: the ministry launched a Learning Resource Package on 10 priority zoonotic diseases (anthrax, brucellosis, Kyasanur Forest Disease, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Nipah, mpox, rabies, leptospirosis, scrub typhus and Zika) and a set of e-learning modules.
What you can do
- Vaccinate your dog against rabies every year.
- After an animal bite or scratch, wash it with soap and running water for 15 minutes and see a doctor the same day. Step-by-step help: What to do after a dog bite in India.
- Wash your hands after handling animals, their food or their waste.
By Animal Writes
