KUCHING: There will be no exemption as any stray or free-roaming dogs sighted will be targeted for removal in the coming Kuching District Anti-Rabies Operation beginning April 22 to May 3.
Deputy Chief Minister and State Natural Disaster Management Committee chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said granting any exemption would only backfire in the fight to eradicate the deadly sickness.
Speaking after chairing a meeting on a rabies outbreak management programme here today, he expressed fear there would then be requests after requests (for exemption).
This would render the fight an exercise in futility and Sarawak and its people would continue to be at risk.
The meeting today was attended by the Sarawak Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) led by its president Datin Dona Drury Wee and the Save our Strays (SOS) Kuching led by its president Kitty Chin.
Also in attendance were the Tabuan Tranquility Neighbourhood Committee vice-chairman Dean Kuan and Green Heights and Borneo Garden Neighbourhood Committee secretary Andrew Tsen.
Uggah, in replying to a request from Tsen to exempt the so-called community dogs (neutered and vaccinated but ownerless), said the government had a very critical responsibility to carry out.
“The fight is against rabies. It is not against the pet dogs. We have to remove the strays. We have to get more pets vaccinated.
“During the coming operation, those dogs that are kept within the owners’ house compound will not be affected,” he said.
“We hope the owners who had yet to vaccinate their dogs would do so. Since the outbreak, we have lost 16 lives and we do not want to lose anymore.”
He said Kuching District would be divided into eight zones during the operation.
To encourage owners to get their dogs vaccinated, a static vaccination centre would be set up in each zone. He said details of the centres would be made known soon.
On allegations that some operation teams had entered houses to tranquilise dogs, Uggah said investigations had been done.
“But what was actually happening was that the dogs were tranquilised by the roadside. They escaped into people’s homes. Members of the team then entered to retrieve the carcasses.
“There is, in place, the SOP on how the operation should be strictly done,” he said.
Uggah said in the upcoming Kuching operations, the team members would have to get signed permission from house owners to retrieve any targeted dogs that had escaped into any house compound.
“The teams will be given forms for them to bring around,” he added.
Uggah also hit out at certain politicians who had criticised past operations.
“They are actually ignorant of the way the operations had been or will be conducted.
“They just wanted to exploit the situation for personal political mileage.”
He said they did not even know that the federal government is collaborating with the state in the fight.
He said after the outbreak was declared a Level Two Disaster, the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) had been involved with the police as the lead agency on the ground.
“Kuala Lumpur had given us a fund of RM8.9million to add to the over RM22 million from the state.
“The federal Veterinary Department is helping us by providing 56 veterinary personnel besides providing the vaccines and other equipment,” he said.
On fears expressed by members of the public over the presence of the military with their M16 rifles, he said they were there to provide security which is part of the operation’s SOP.
“They are there not to shoot the dogs and so far not a single bullet has been fired,” he said.
Uggah was very delighted that the various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) had understood the government’s stance and were cooperating with them.
“They have given us feedback and suggestions. They understand our SOP better now.
“I appreciate too the initiatives taken by the two neighbourhood committees in working out their own programmes to complement our efforts in their respective areas,” he added.
Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, who was present, said the fight against rabies was too big for any individual group to handle.
“It is a very big issue. There are some out there who do not care for the law or the welfare of others.”
He said he had seen young children bitten on the face which required them to get plastic surgery. People, he said, should be more responsible for their pets.
Police Community Crime Prevention and Safety Department chief Supt Ang Seow Aun warned that stern action would be taken against those making wild allegations in social media or spreading false news.
“We will act against those obstructing the operation teams from carrying out their responsibilities,” Ang said.
