Staff of the Animal Husbandry, Cultivation and Agricultural Extension Station of Long Dien town, Long Dat district, vaccinate dogs against rabies in the area. |
Many cases of being bitten by stray dogs
On April 2, 4 and 5, in Quang Thanh commune, Ngai Giao town (Chau Duc district) and Long Son commune (Vung Tau city), there were 12 cases of people being bitten by stray dogs. Immediately after the incident, health and veterinary agencies and local authorities closely monitored the health status and the next rabies vaccination schedule of the victims bitten by dogs; at the same time, mobilized people at high risk of exposure to rabies such as veterinary staff and slaughterhouse workers to get rabies vaccination.
According to the veterinary agency, the above cases of dog bites were all free-roaming dogs without muzzles, quite aggressive, drooling, and constantly opening their mouths. When discovering that dogs had bitten many people, people chased and killed the animals, so they could not take samples for testing.
Ms. Ng. (Vung Tau City) said that she and her relatives often exercise on the streets in the residential area where she lives, and sometimes they encounter dogs running around barking loudly. Such times make her startled and quickly move to the side of the road.
“It is not uncommon for dogs to roam freely on residential streets. Several times when I was exercising, dogs came running out of nowhere, barking and chasing me. I see this as an unpredictable danger, because if I am unlucky enough to be bitten by a dog, it will affect my psychology, or cause serious injury and require preventive treatment for rabies,” said Ms. Ng.
Catch stray dogs, vaccinate dogs and cats against rabies
Chau Duc district has more than 8,000 households raising dogs and cats with a total herd of nearly 14,200. Currently, the district is vaccinating animals against rabies, with the peak period from now until April 20. The district also directed relevant units to maintain regular vaccination for dogs and cats, with the goal of vaccinating over 80% of the total dog and cat herd in the district and 100% in localities where outbreaks have occurred or suspected cases have been reported.
In addition, the district also requires people to keep dogs and cats in their family premises, not to let them roam freely in public places, and to organize a campaign to catch stray dogs in the management area this April. The local authorities will notify the owners of the captured dogs to handle administrative violations according to the law. In cases where dogs are temporarily detained but no one comes to claim them, the local authorities will organize the destruction.
In Long Dat district, there are nearly 13,400 dogs and cats. To effectively carry out rabies vaccination, since the end of March, the district has implemented mandatory rabies vaccination for all dogs and cats in the district. In addition to fixed vaccination stations, mobile vaccination teams go to people's homes to vaccinate dogs and cats against rabies, ensuring a rate of over 85%. Mr. Nguyen Minh Hieu, Deputy Head of the district's Department of Agriculture and Environment, said that the district continues to review and update changes in the number of dogs and cats raised and guide communes and towns to implement mandatory rabies vaccination, ensuring that no households raising dogs and cats in the area that are required to be vaccinated are left unvaccinated.
Currently, the province has a total herd of about 63,686 dogs and cats, an increase of about 4,000 compared to last year. To achieve the goal of vaccinating over 80% of the total herd of dogs and cats by 2025, while maintaining recognized facilities and areas safe from rabies, the Provincial People's Committee has issued a document on rabies prevention in animals. The Provincial People's Committee assigned the Department of Agriculture and Environment to coordinate with localities to focus on managing and monitoring the rabies epidemic situation to promptly detect and handle it; urgently review and prepare vaccines, supplies, and chemicals for epidemic prevention and control, and guide localities to immediately deploy emergency epidemic prevention when necessary.
The Provincial People's Committee also assigned the People's Committees of districts and cities to accurately count the number of dogs and cats raised for rabies vaccination; at the same time, step up propaganda to raise people's awareness of rabies vaccination for livestock, strictly handle violations in rabies prevention, and increase the effectiveness of teams catching stray dogs in the area according to regulations.
Article and photos: SONG BINH
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