In Saxony, more pet and livestock owners are being encouraged to have their animals vaccinated. The goal of a new campaign is to permanently increase vaccination rates for small animals, poultry, pigs, horses, and small and large ruminants, according to the Ministry of Social Affairs in Dresden. Vaccination coverage has been declining for years, officials said. However, zoonotic diseases such as rabies and avian influenza, as well as distemper, feline panleukopenia, leptospirosis, bluetongue, and West Nile virus, are preventable with regularly updated vaccinations. “There are effective vaccines for many animal diseases. These should be used,” explained Social Affairs Minister Petra Köpping (SPD). The campaign is aimed at owners of pets and farm animals. It uses proverbs and plays on double meanings. Posters feature slogans such as “You’ve got a bird?” or “Are your sheep in the clear?” The images are also being shared on social media. Copyright 2026, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reserved
