‘Rabies no reason to abandon pets’
Vaccinate your animals, owners told
IPOH: Rabies should not be used as a reason for owners to disown their pets, says Ipoh Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Instead, its president Ricky Soong has one important piece of advice to owners: “Remain calm and vaccinate your pets to protect them and your family.
“I fully understand that people may feel scared of the disease.
“But abandoning your pets due to this
is just not right,” he said in light of the
development in Kuala Sepetang.
Early this month, two girls were bitten by a dog, which then died from the disease.
Following this, Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir declared the Matang sub-district as a rabies-infected area.
Soong said disowning pets would only complicate matters and compound the problem of stray animals. He said animals with rabies would normally show several clear symptoms.
“They tend to be aggressive and bare their fangs when approached. They will also salivate more than usual and are sensitive to light,” he added.
Expressing surprise with the re-emergence of the disease, he pointed out that the country was free of rabies for almost 20 years.
Soong praised the authorities, including the Veterinary Services Department, for taking prompt measures to isolate and vaccinate all pets and stray animals in the area.
Perak MCA Public Service and Complaints Bureau chief Jimmy Loh urged all pet owners to vaccinate their animals.
“It is the responsibility of owners to care for the wellbeing of their pets,” he said.
Perak Veterinary Services Department director Dr Fuziah Muhayat said some 72 stray dogs had been culled during an operation within a 1km radius of the affected area.
She said 10 samples had been obtained, five coming back negative for rabies.
“We are awaiting the remaining results,” she said, adding that 337 pet dogs and cats had been vaccinated.
In Kuching, Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said Sarawak would carry out intensive dog vaccination exercise between Kota Sentosa and Kota Padawan in the city to create a buffer zone.
The state, he said, would also hold a meeting with the Indonesian consulate on Friday to discuss how both governments could collaborate to curb the outbreak.