The Baja California Sur Health Secretariat has begun a free rabies vaccination campaign for dogs and cats in La Paz, sending uniformed health brigades door to door across city neighborhoods.
The campaign, run through the state’s zoonosis prevention program, started in the state capital and will expand to all four health jurisdictions across BCS. Samuel Ritchie Espinoza, the state coordinator for Disease Prevention and Control, said the effort is central to maintaining the state’s record of more than two decades without a single case of dog-transmitted human rabies.
Public Vaccination Stations Open April 13
After the initial door-to-door phase, public vaccination stations are scheduled to open on April 13 in community spaces throughout the state. Pet owners who miss the home visits can also go directly to their local health jurisdiction office, where vaccines are already available at no cost.
The health brigades conducting home visits wear official uniforms and carry identification. Officials urged residents to allow the teams access to their pets during the visits.
Which Pets Are Eligible
Only healthy dogs and cats aged three months or older qualify for the free vaccine. Pregnant or nursing animals are not eligible. Health officials recommend annual booster shots after the initial dose to keep animals protected year-round.
Rabies remains a serious public health concern across Mexico, even in states like BCS where canine-transmitted cases have been eliminated. The virus is almost always fatal once symptoms appear in humans, making prevention through animal vaccination the most effective strategy. Mexico’s national rabies vaccination campaigns typically aim to cover at least 80% of the dog and cat population in each state.
What Pet Owners in La Paz Should Know
For the thousands of expats and other residents with pets in La Paz, Los Cabos, Loreto, and Comondú, the campaign offers a practical benefit. A private rabies shot at a veterinary clinic in BCS typically costs between 200 and 400 pesos (roughly $11 to $22 USD). The state program eliminates that expense entirely.
Pet owners who are unsure whether their animal has been vaccinated, or whose pet is overdue for a booster, can visit the nearest health jurisdiction office during business hours. No appointment is required.
The campaign was first reported by the Baja California Sur state government at bcs.gob.mx.