The impact of anti-vaccine activists is spreading beyond humans. A recent study found many dog owners are skeptical of vaccinating their pets — even though that leaves animals and humans at risk.

The study, led by a researcher from Boston University’s School of Public Health and published in the journal Vaccine, found a sizable minority of dog owners have some hesitancy toward canine vaccines. Over one-third (37%) said they believed the shots were unsafe; 22% thought they were ineffective; and 30% thought they were unnecessary. Overall, 53% of dog owners endorsed at least one of these three misconceptions.

“My co-authors and I were stunned by how prevalent this phenomenon is,” lead author Dr. Matt Motta told CBS News.

Motta says an unvaccinated pet is a danger not just to other animals but also to the humans around them.

“If there are more unvaccinated dogs out there, the risk of disease transmission grows,” Motta said.

  • WrittenWeird@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Oh here we fucking go again.

    Ten thousand “studies show” articles will be published.

    Antivaxx idiots will continue ignoring every single one because “it’s what THEY want you to think”

    Pets will get sick and die early.

    Facebook groups will pop up and swell with idiots and their stories and bullshit information, because no real consequences.

    Can we just ignore this one?

    • monk@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      We can try and ignore it until people start dying from rabies because fucktards think the vaccine will make their labridoodle autistic

      • mememuseum@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Eventually one of these antivax fuckers is going to get rabies from an unvaccinated pet or something and then when they start having symptoms they’ll change their tune and beg to be saved but it’ll be far too late.