KUCHING, April 4: There are 24,241 licensed dogs throughout Sarawak; of these, 2,104 dogs have been microchipped.
According to a press release by Deputy Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government Michael Tiang Ming Tee, pet owners are encouraged to get their licensed dogs microchipped as stated under by-law 4(4) of the Local Authorities (Dog Licensing and Control) By-laws 2018.
“Microchipping, which is optional, will be part of mass vaccination programmes, besides licensing and vaccination, which is held by the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak and Local Authorities.
“Once we are free from rabies, and should your dog get lost or picked up by the councils, authorised personnel will be able to scan the dog for the microchip number (if any) to have your contact information to be retrieved from the data centre to enable to identify the dog and its owner,” he said.
He added that licensing pet dogs with the Local Authorities is mandatory under by-law 3(1), and owners who do not license their dogs with local councils can be fined.
Meanwhile, Tiang said as rabies is still present in Sarawak, all dogs should also be vaccinated to achieve a coverage of 70 per cent to break the chain and contain the virus.
“Any dog found within a rabies-infected area (including free roaming licensed dogs, with or without microchip) which is not under effective control may be destroyed by any person authorised in writing under the Veterinary Public Health Ordinance, 1999,” he said.
He also advised should one be bitten by a dog with or suspected to have rabies, the individual should immediately flush and wash the wound for a minimum of 15 minutes with soap and water, detergent or other substances that can kill the rabies virus, before going to the nearest hospital.
On March 11, it was reported that Kuching South City Council (MBKS) would amend the ordinance to make microchipping pets like dogs and cats mandatory, including enforcing a heavy penalty as part of measures to reduce the number of strays, hold owners responsible for their pets, enhance enforcement, and prevent and control rabies. — DayakDaily
