Make vaccination of pets against rabies mandatory – Rep

SIBU: Bukit Assek assemblywoman Irene Chang wants the government to issue a directive to make it mandatory for all pet owners to vaccinate their pets against rabies.

In a press statement yesterday, she said given the fact that rabies had affected 22 areas in the state in just three week showed that more needed to be done.

“I understand that this requirement was done away with since about 10 years ago due to the fact there had been no rabies incidences in Sarawak before.

“Given the practical impossibility to guard the borders between Kalimantan and Sarawak, it is only prudent that this vaccination should be enforced on all dogs and cats and other pet animals,” she opined.

She said it was time that the government mobilise its machineries in the whole state rather than just in the rabiesaffected areas.

“The panic button should be pressed to make sure that we stay ahead of the virus and not trailing behind. To contain the disease, we have to take aggressive preventive measure,” she said.

She thus urged the council to consider going on the offensive on the dogs and cats being allowed to roam on the streets.

Take Sibu for an example, she said despite there has been no rabid animals reported or caught, stray dogs roaming the streets remain a constant complaint.

She said despite regular complaints, the problem has persisted.

Chang understood that a large part of the problem arose because many people failed to cooperate by not keeping their pets indoors.

Assuch,sheurgedtheenforcement unit of SMC to take stern actions against those who refuse to heed the call to keep their dogs vaccinated and indoors.

“I also strongly urge all pet owners to cooperate with the authorities to keep their dogs and cats off the street.”

She also questioned why the awareness campaigns by the State Veterinary Services Department (JPVS) on rabies outbreak had only been done at villages and schools in the affected areas.

Given the severity of the situation, Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee and authorities should take preventive measures to contain the disease throughout the Sarawak.

“Although my enquiries with the Sibu Health Department has shown that they and all other relevant departments are vigilantly monitoring the situation on a daily basis, I am dismayed that there appears little or no publicity materials on the awareness of the disease in the public media outside the affected areas,” she lamented.

She also said that there was no sufficient information on the State Veterinary Services Department websites to educate the people on the disease and the preventive measures.

She suggested that information should be made available not just in the affected areas but throughout Sarawak.