Post History

Source: https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/q/17778
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

<p>Answers at a <a href="https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/questions/17767/dos-and-donts-in-an-area-signed-with-the-shield-rabies-endangered-district-i">recent question</a> say that Germany has been rabies free since 2008.  My first response was how could that even be possible, must be some significant border protection that keeps wild animals from crossing.</p>

<p>So if you look at the CDC site <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/importation/rabies-free-countries.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Rabies-Free Countries and Political Units</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Dogs may be imported without a valid rabies vaccination certificate if they have lived for a minimum of 6 months, or since birth, in a country that is considered by CDC to be free of rabies in land animals, as listed below.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>And goes on to identify those countries, of which Germany and it's neighbor Czech Republic are both listed. (<em>presumably this is consistent across all of Europe, not just these two Countries</em>)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Europe:</strong>   Albania, Andorra, Austria, Azores, Balearic Islands, Belgium, Cabrera, Channel Islands, Corsica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, Formentera, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Ibiza, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Majorca, Malta, Minorca, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway (except Svalbard), Portugal, San Marino, Spain (except Ceuta and Melilla), Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>BUT</strong> if you look at the individual countries on the CDC site such as Germany or the Czech Republic it says,</p>

<p><a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/germany?s_cid=ncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Health Information for Travelers to Germany, Traveler View</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Rabies is present in bats in Germany. However, it is not a major risk to most travelers. CDC recommends rabies vaccine for only these groups:</p>
  
  <p>Travelers involved in outdoor and other activities in remote areas that put them at risk for bat bites (such as adventure travel and caving).</p>
  
  <p>People who will be working with or around bats (such as wildlife professionals and researchers).</p>
</blockquote>

<p>While most bats don't have rabies... <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/bats/education/index.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Rabies in humans is rare in the United States. There are usually only one or two human cases per year. But the most common source of human rabies in the United States is from bats.</a></p>

<p>So it seems like these areas are Rabies free, as long as you don't go outdoors. </p>

<p>Is Germany or any of Europe "really" rabies free?</p>