KUCHING, Dec 1: The state Veterinary Services Department (DVS) has vaccinated about 73 per cent of the dog population across the state, as it continues to fight the spread of rabies.
Its director Dr Adrian Susin Ambud said the figure represents over 149,000 dogs from the estimated 205,000 population in Sarawak.
“We will continue to carry out our vaccination programme until we achieve our mission to be rabies-free by 2021 in human cases and dog rabies-free by 2025,” he said at the Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal (SSPCA) Christmas Charity Bazaar here today.
Dr Adrian said the state government will continue to seek public cooperation and support to combat spread of rabies for the target to succeed.
He lauded SSPCA for organising the charity bazaar and acknowledged their efforts in sourcing funds from the public to sustain its programmes and services, in order to give a second chance at life to thousands of animals every year.
He announced that deputy chief minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas has approved RM30,000 to SSPCA to build their state-of-the-art facility Animal Village, costing RM5 million at a new plot of land allocated by the state.
He hoped SSPCA will continue with its good work and able to achieve their donation drives towards the new animal village.
Dr Adrian also thanked SSPCA for their cooperation with Operation Rabies this year, as well as the State Disaster Management Committee.
SSPCA president Datin Dona Drury Wee was present. — DayakDaily
