‘Early vaccination against rabies can save lives.’
– Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian –
My friends, have you vaccinated your dogs against rabies this year?
If your dogs have been vaccinated before but not this year, perhaps it is time to send them to the veterinary clinics again.
Rabies immunisations are usually effective for one or three years, depending on the vaccine manufacturer and a country’s vaccination laws.
Sarawak apparently requires pets to be vaccinated yearly against rabies.
Recently, Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian was reported as saying, “When you own a dog, it is your responsibility to get your pet the yearly rabies vaccination.”
He told reporters this following the Asia for Animals (AFA) Sarawak Conference 2023 press conference at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) in Kuching.
Urging pet owners, particularly those with dogs, to vaccinate their pets against rabies, Dr Sim revealed there had been an increase in dog bite cases in Sarawak including Kuching.
I had my one-year-old local female dog, Bailey, vaccinated against rabies at a private veterinary clinic recently when I sent it there for spaying.
My old male local dog, Cookie, which is more than 10 years old, has been vaccinated against rabies a few times before. But so far this year, it has not been vaccinated.
I am now impatiently waiting for my niece, Ah Hong, to come back so that she can help me bring Cookie to a veterinary clinic. You see, Cookie is big and is not used to car rides.
I have to sit beside it in the back of the car to calm it down if we go to the clinic.
I did the same to Bailey recently. The dog and I sat in the back seat when my son drove to the clinic.. I had to keep patting Bailey on the head to calm it down. The dog was nervous on its first car ride ever.
According to Dr Sim, since the start of the rabies outbreak in Sarawak in 2017, 48 deaths had occurred. He said last year, 12 rabies cases with 10 deaths were recorded in Sarawak.“Early vaccination against rabies can save lives,” he said, urging the public to take the disease seriously.
Dr Sim also advised the public to get their pet dogs or cats vaccinated, adding that anti rabies vaccinations were provided free by the Sarawak Veterinary Services Department (DVS).
In Sarawak, veterinary clinics have been generously running rabies vaccination programmes in collaboration with local councils.
Dr Sim said the state had formed an immune belt enforcement team (IBET) to combat rabies in the region and to monitor dog movement in border areas.
My friends, do you know Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak has offices all over Sarawak and that you can bring your pet dogs there for free rabies jabs?
Director of the department, Dr Adrian Susin Ahmad revealed this recently. He added 492 dogs and 22 cats had been vaccinated this year and that this year, between Jan 1 and March 5, Sarawak recorded 2,210 bite cases; 1,205 cases involved dogs, 985 involved cats and 20 cases involving others.
I personally hope the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak will once again host free rabies vaccination programmes in Kuching and other major urban centres in the state to enable more members of the public to vaccinate their pets, particularly dogs, against rabies.
Previously, I had sent Cookie and Lucky, another of my local female dogs to such vaccination programmes in Kota Sentosa. I think once, a government vaccination team went from house to house in my neighbourhood to vaccinate dogs against rabies. I think that was a good move on the part of the government to combat the worrying spread of rabies in the state then.
This weekend, the department in Bintulu is hosting a rabies vaccination programme at the Times Square Megamall Bintulu premises.
A convenient drive-through method is being used to ensure smooth vaccinations and only dogs aged three months and above and in good health without pregnancy are eligible for the programme.
A veterinary doctor and medical officer will also be conducting a seminar on rabies at the same venue on March 17 and 19. Education is certainly essential in the fight against rabies.
This week, my friends, I urge all of you to be responsible dog owners. Get your pets their yearly rabies vaccination. It is the least you can do for them in return for their valuable companionship.
