We appeal again to the humans in power, to please heed the advice of organisations that have successfully controlled the spread of rabies in many other countries. Please stop the killing, it doesn’t work.
Vaccinating 70% of the stray population works.
World Animal Protection (WPA) urges Malaysia to vaccinate its dogs as mass culling, as ordered by authorities in Penang, Malaysia, is a cruel and misguided attempt to curb the spread of rabies.
The inhumane culling of dogs is neither acceptable nor effective under any circumstance.
Global experts agree there is no evidence that the removal of dogs has any significant impact on the spread of rabies or dog population density. Humane and effective alternatives to culling exist and are being implemented in countries such as Indonesia and China.
Culling dogs in an attempt to control rabies runs counter to the Asean Rabies Elimination Strategy (Ares), which provides a strategic framework for the eradication of rabies in Asean member states by 2020.
WPA shares the feeling of many Malaysians upset over the state government’s senseless killing of dogs. Culling can be extremely affecting for the communities involved, especially in cases where domestic pets can be inadvertently killed.
The Penang state authorities must take a sustainable approach, address the core issue of managing the dog population, and implement a humane and effective solution.
Joanna Tuckwell the “Ending Inhumane Culling” campaign manager, has said, “Killing dogs to eliminate rabies is completely ineffective and unacceptable. Based on our experience, we know that the methods used will be cruel and extremely distressing for dogs.
“Our past work delivering mass vaccination programmes around the world has seen in some cases a 76 per cent decrease in rabies in the affected dog populations. Vaccination works.
“We urge the Malaysian authorities to immediately halt all culling activities, and to implement humane and effective mass vaccination programmes in the fight against the spread of rabies.”
Mass dog vaccination is the best solution
Comments
2 responses to ““Dog culling is NOT the solution to rabies” – World Animal Protection”
Hi Dr. Chan,
There are various issues that are puzzling in the efforts of combating rabies in Penang. For instance why if it is rabies and just dogs bites why not the international expert come in and help as soon as possible?
Why international experts has to go through so many red tapes? As reported by FMT yesterday Penang has run out of vaccines if not mistaken one international rabies expert organisation is offering vaccines.
They are resorting to continuing culling strays and pets without vaccination proof until end of the year when finally the approval is given to the experts to enter Penang?
Stop mass culling exercise.god gave them lives.do god give you permission to kill them brutally and freely without reasonings?