Pet dogs wait in cages to receive the rabies vaccination in this file photo.
KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah hopes that the creation of a social media group will help explain the purpose of the ongoing anti-rabies operations and its benefits to the people.
Uggah, who is also the State Disaster Management Council Committee (JPBN) chairman, said such a group would also expose the false accusations made online.
He said this when expressing his concern over a video clip on social media depicting the operation teams as being “very trigger happy, ready to shoot anyone on sight without any sympathy”.
He said this was in fact a wrong impression of the situation.
“For those with the tendency to criticise or accuse us, please go to the ground and see how the team do their jobs. They have their tasks to accomplish, pet dogs to be vaccinated and strays to be targeted for removal. They have a standard operation procedure to follow,” he said.
“If you follow the social media posts, many do give us positive remarks which encourage us in our operations.”
In appealing to dog owners to co-operate in having their pets vaccinated Uggah said: “We are your friends. We are here to vaccinate your dogs. Stray dogs are very dangerous.”
According to Sarawak Contingent Police senior officer DSP Collin Barat, the police had received 12 reports lodged by members of the public in Padawan.
He revealed that only one investigation paper had been opened.
He said a man had also been arrested for trying to obstruct a team from carrying out their duties on April 7 and was released a day later.
“He had taken video clips of them using his phone, accusing them and using foul language against them for tranquilizing a dog which did not have any vaccination tags,” he said.
Collin added there had been attempts to sabotage the operation in Jalan Stephen Yong, where iron nails were strewn on the road leading to a sewerage plant there.
On another development Uggah said the anti-rabies operation held in Padawan from April 4 to 8 was another success for Sarawak following the first successful operation in Lundu last month.
Uggah said the Padawan operations mounted by 379 officers and other personnel saw them vaccinating some 1,331 dogs.
At the same time, some 1,271 strays were removed, he said after attending a post mortem meeting on the operation held at the Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) office today.
“Our objective in the operation had been for 100 per cent vaccination rate for pet dogs and we have achieved 73 per cent. We must congratulate all those involved for their success despite the many challenges and issues on the ground,” he said.
The next round of operations would begin tomorrow (April 10) in Kota Samarahan before moving to Kuching (from April 21 to May 2).
“We have given clear instruction to the teams that our objective is to again have 100 per cent vaccination of pet dogs and to remove strays.
“We also reminded them that there should not be any tranquilising of dogs in house compounds.”
“If the team approach any dogs within the compound, it is for the purpose of vaccination which is in line with our main objective,” he said.
Uggah said the cooperation and collaboration of dog owners were indispensable to ensure the fight against rabies would be successful and for Sarawak to be declared free of it as soon as possible.
According to Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Hui Kian, the anti rabies operations were very challenging but an important mission for the government.
Dr Sim urged owners to revaccinate their dogs after a year had lapsed after the last vaccination.