By Geryl Ogilvy
KUCHING, April 17: Dog owners in Demak Laut constituency have been told to be on the lookout for the door-to-door rabies vaccination programme, which starts on April 22.
Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian called on dog owners to be supportive of the programme and get their dogs vaccinated.
The free vaccination programme is organised by Demak Laut assemblyman Demak Laut assemblyman Dr Hazland Abang Hipni in collaboration with the state Veterinary Services Department.
“Officers from the veterinary services will go house-to-house to vaccinate the dogs, and we need everybody to cooperate.
“Every dogs need to be vaccinated annually and keep in mind that the vaccines will only take effect after 28 days,” he told reporters after presenting strata titles to residents of RPR Sepakat Jaya, Demak Laut, here today.
Dr Sim reminded the owners to also register for their dog’s licence as well as microchip implant to detect ownership when a dog is found wandering the streets.
“We encourage registration for dog licence as well as application on microchips on the dogs to encourage responsible dog ownership. Once ownership of the dogs can be detected, people are more responsible for their pet dogs,” he said.
He advised dog owners to also keep their dogs within the house compound to avoid being removed by the authorities during its anti-rabies campaign.
The State Natural Disaster Management Committee, led by deputy chief minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, has repeatedly reminded dog owners to keep their dogs within the house compound.
Dogs found wandering the streets would be considered as strays and would be targeted for removal, Dr Sim pointed out.
On a related note, the integrated rabies operation to vaccinate dogs and remove strays would be carried out in Kuching city between April 21 and May 2.
The anti-rabies operation, which started in Lundu and Bau in March, had also covered the Padawan and Samarahan districts earlier this month. — DayakDaily
