Sabah animal welfare delegation gets insights on rabies prevention
KUCHING: A nine-member delegation comprising animal welfare groups from Sabah was here to learn from their counterparts, as well as the frontliners of the rabies outbreak in Sarawak.
According to the president of Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Kota Kinabalu, Dr Stuart Chin, the study tour helped them to be prepared.
“Like Sabah, Sarawak has been rabies free for many years. If it can come to Sarawak, I’m sure it’s a matter of time before it comes to Sabah,” he said yesterday.
They wanted to see what they could do to minimise rabies in Sabah.
“If it does come, we need to know what we should be prepared for,” he added.
The group comprised representatives from SPCA KK, SPCA Sandakan, and International Aid for the Protection and Welfare of Animals (IAPWA).
During their three- day visit, they went to Department of Veterinary Services ( DVS) and met with DVS director Dr Adrian Susin Ambud, and Kuching Divisional Veterinary Officer Dr Nicholas Jenek.
They were hosted by Sarawak Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA).
SSPCA president Datin Dona Drury-Wee said that DVS briefed the Sabahan visitors about all that has been done so far, and answered all their questions.
“They were shown the map of the immunity belt and buffer zone, and how they are trying to protect Sibu, and prevent the virus from spreading further north,” said Wee.
She added that DVS Sabah sent teams to help during the outbreak in Sarawak.
“DVS Sarawak had advised their Sabah counterpart to start vaccinating.”
The group also met with Local Government and Housing Ministry’s Head of Public Health Dr Cheong Yaw Liang to talk about how local NGOs are working with the ministry to help eradicate rabies.
Yesterday morning, the Sabah delegation accompanied a team from SSPCA to Taska Angel at Jalan Stutong Baru to observe an educational visit in action.
Using picture cards and stuffed toys, team members Marvin Hon and Jia Yang spoke to young children about what to do or not to do when they are faced with a free-roaming or unleashed dog.
The driving force behind this was to teach children how to approach an animal, or when not to.
After the short session, the children were rewarded with a meeting of two pet ducks and a rabbit, which they were taught to stroke gently.
Also present was Wee, SSPCA chairperson Rebecca D’Cruz, and Taska Angel principal Ekaterina Kolushkina.