KOTA SAMARAHAN: As part of a proactive response to the resurgence of rabies in several areas of Sarawak, the Kota Samarahan Municipal Council (MPKS) hosted an anti-rabies seminar last Friday (Aug 18).
The seminar, spearheaded by Dr Florine Christie, was aimed at heightening awareness about the critical threat posed by rabies while also educating the public about essential preventive measures.
Its chairman Datuk Peter Minos pointed out that the recent fatality due to rabies in Samarahan has prompted widespread concern, spurring the council into action in collaboration with relevant agencies such as the Health Department, Veterinary Department, Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA), and the Boehringer Ingelheim group.
“We feel that it is our duty to help in eradicating rabies with other agencies. At the very least, MPKS must spread the word that rabies kills and that the public be forewarned of this dreaded disease coming from diseased dog bites,” he said in a statement.
Held at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Kota Samarahan, the seminar involved students from SMK Muara Tuang, Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Dato Mohd Musa, SK Dato Traoh, and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) to effectively disseminate crucial information.
At the seminar, students and members of the public were told of the extreme dangers of rabies, how to stop it, how to treat wounds bitten by diseased dogs, and how to spread the word around.
Underscoring the significance of responsible dog ownership, Minos stressed that dog owners must ensure their beloved pets are duly vaccinated and kept securely indoors at all times.
“Any dog out of the house will be caught by the local council’s dog unit and properly dealt with.
“All dogs found outside the house are considered stray, dangerous, and subject to being caught, whether vaccinated and collared or not,” Minos added.
As such, he reminded dog lovers that one human death from rabies is one too many, and one human life lost to rabies is worth more than a million dogs.
