KUCHING: A cute puppy — puppies are too often cute — will melt the heart of any dog lover. But if you are the kind who loves puppies so much, there is one puppy you better not fall in love with if you come across it.
This particular puppy is at large somewhere in Bau, and the state Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) has issued an advisory that whoever comes across the little doggie to promptly notify it.
DVS director Dr Adrian Susin Ambud said the department suspects the cream-coloured puppy to be rabies infected. Because of that possibility, he is appealing to members of the public, especially those in Tasik Biru to contact DVS at (082-628248), DVS Rabies Hotline at 016-2557267 (WhatsApp) or the Bau District Council if they encounter a stray that resembles his description of the little canine.
He said the department’s concern for the runaway dog followed a recent dog bite incident involving two children from Tasik Biru, Bau who were bitten by their adopted puppies.
“The two puppies were adopted on March 31 from an Indonesian colleague staying at Cross Road Kuching. The colleague has since returned to Indonesia.
“The puppies turned aggressive three months later and bit them,” he said in a press statement. Following the incident, the puppies were dumped near Tasik Biru while the victims were treated at a clinic in Bau. That was the time the department knew of the puppies.
A surveillance team from the department immediately investigated and recovered one of the dumped puppies. The other remains on the loose until now. The recovered puppy was sent for examination at the State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory on June 27 and on July 2 was confirmed positive for rabies.
Meanwhile, as part of the department’s ongoing anti-rabies campaign, Dr Adrian said as of June 24, the lab had conducted tests on 11 samples. The samples came from Kuching, Serian, Betong and Bintulu divisions. Two of the samples tested positive within a 10km radius of rabies-infected areas such as Kampung Ranchan Baduk, Serian and Jalan Stampin Baru.
“Therefore, members of the public who may have been in contact with (licked, scratched or bitten by) dogs are advised to immediately visit the nearest government clinic or hospital. We would also like to remind the public to vaccinate their dogs against rabies annually and to adopt only those animals from known and reliable sources.
“Rabies vaccination is compulsory for dogs in order to eradicate the disease. If the owners did not get their dogs vaccinated, it is an offence under Section 40 of the Veterinary Public Health Ordi-nance 1999 with a fine not exceeding RM2,500,” said Dr Adrian.
To date, a total of 123,035 dogs have been vaccinated since 2017.
