PULLMAN, WA. – (MyBellinghamNow.com) Wondering if that dog down the street is vaccinated against rabies?

Well, now there is an app for that.

Researchers at Washington State University recently helped develop an app that uses facial recognition technology to improve rabies vaccination efforts in parts of Africa and Asia where the disease is endemic.

The app proved to be very accurate when tested around villages in those areas.

During testing, operators were able to identify 76 percent of vaccinated dogs and almost 99 percent of unvaccinated dogs.

The technology could be used in disease control efforts and research purposes in other species as well.

Rabies kills around 60,000 people every year in Africa and Asia and 99 percent of those deaths are a result of dog bites.

WSU Associate Professor Felix Lankester says mass vaccinations of dogs is necessary to control rabies.

Forty percent of dogs in an area must be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity and stop transmission of the virus.