We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.
– Immanuel Kant, German philosopher
Sarawak used to be Malaysia’s only rabies-free state but that changed when the authorities declared the first rabies case on July 1, 2017.
Since then a total of 66 rabies cases among humans with 59 deaths were reported in until May 15 this year. Last year, 14 cases and 11 deaths were reported. This year alone from Jan 1 to May 15, 11 cases were detected, including nine fatalities. Of the 11 reported cases, the Health Ministry said Sibu and Serian divisions recorded four each, Kuching division two and Bintulu division one.
The source of the disease outbreak in the state is suspected to be Kalimantan Barat in Indonesia where rabies was widespread. Lack of strict border entry enforcement was blamed but with the Indonesia-Sarawak boundary consisting of a 1,881 km long land border that divides Indonesia and Malaysia on Borneo, it’s a herculean task to monitor human movement effectively. So, do not fault the authorities.
I recall editing a piece of news on the first casualties in Sarawak caused by the virus. The Health Ministry reported two fatalities on July 4, 2017 involving two children in Serian division – a six-year-old girl and her brother, aged 4 years.
Then nine days later on July 13, a seven-year-old died, and four days later a five-year-old succumbed to the disease. Both were from Serian.
In no time, the virus started spreading to other parts of the state. The 17th and 18th victims died on May 31 and June 12 in 2019 involving a 26-year-old man from Batu Kawa and a 61-year-old woman from Pending.
Soon Betong, Kapit, Kuching, Miri, Samarahan, Sarikei, Sibu and Sri Aman were declared as rabies-infected areas. The disease spread to as far as Limbang in 2018 when a dog owner in Kuching transported his pet from an infected area without permission from the Veterinary Department.
Apathy and lack of awareness about rabies further contributed to the spread of the disease.
While the state government took immediate steps to curb the spread, like imposing a total ban on the movement of dogs in and out of Sarawak along its border with Kalimantan in late August 2019, there were residents who did not play their role.
For example, some victims who were bitten by their pet dogs did not seek prompt medical treatment despite the numerous campaigns and reminders.
From January to April this year, the authorities received reports of 1,251 animal bite cases. This works out to an average of about 300 bite cases per month.
Curbing the disease and making Sarawak a rabies-free state once again is not the responsibility of the authorities alone; the people should realise that they too have a crucial role.
The government has approved nearly RM10 million in the state’s ongoing fight against rabies and its plan to wipe out the disease, and make Sarawak rabies-free by 2025. But all these efforts will come to naught if Sarawakians continue to adopt a nonchalant attitude.
Recently, state veterinary director Dr Adrian Susin Ambud pleaded with the people to play their role by looking after their pets and not let them run loose to eventually become part of the stray population, the biggest contributor to rabies.
“We want the community to take good care of their pets with full responsibility to prevent animal bite incidents, especially when they involve rabies.
“We also want to make sure the health of the pets is taken care of, ensure they are vaccinated yearly, get them microchipped and have get them licensed,” he said.
We can only pray that his earnest plea does not fall on deaf ears.
One of the biggest problems facing us is the people’s attitude. Everyone loves puppies and not dogs!
Puppies are cute and we, especially children, love them. Some of us are prepared to spend thousands of ringgit to get them from pet shops.
As these pets grow older residents neglect them and let them roam outside their house compounds, allowing them to live unrestricted lives. They soon forage for food and join the stray community.
This is where the problem starts as these strays contribute to rabies.
Recently, a video about a stray dog in a coffeeshop in Kuching biting a human went viral. The clip showed a black dog biting the unsuspecting victim. The animal which was captured by Kuching South City Council (MBKS) later tested positive for rabies.
In the first place eatery owners should not allow strays to rest or roam in their premises. It’s not hygienic and the safety of patrons is compromised. About time the councils acted tough against these proprietors.
Last week Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang called on pet owners to be responsible for their dogs.
“Dog owners should always monitor the movement of their dogs so that they do not roam freely in public places. They must ensure that their pets get licences from the local authority and are vaccinated every year,” he said.
Will the people listen? Perhaps, one of the ways to prevent people from neglecting their pets is to strictly restrict each family to one dog. This may sound harsh but is there a choice if people don’t listen?
If we wish to see Sarawak rabies-free again, let us all work together and play our individual roles. Otherwise, it will only be a pipe dream.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
