Animal rabies prevention and control in Shanghai, China: policies and practices, 2011–2025

Background: Rabies remains a public health issue in Shanghai, with human cases reported since 2006, necessitating sustained multi-faceted control. Strategies: Key measures include mandatory canine vaccination, increased access to vaccination services (19-431 by 2025), management of free-roaming animals, and public education campaigns. Challenges and perspective: Challenges persist-particularly the low vaccination coverage among free-roaming animals. Future priorities involve developing oral rabies vaccines for free-roaming animals, enhancing wildlife rabies surveillance, expanding insurance coverage for postexposure prophylaxis, and strengthening cross-sector collaboration through the One Health framework. Conclusion: Shanghai's integrated strategies have reduced human rabies. Achieving the 2030 zero-death goal requires closing gaps in free-roaming animal vaccination and postexposure prophylaxis access.