Dogs may be euthanized

Dogs may be euthanized

PALU, Central Sulawesi: The husbandry offices of Donggala and
Palu regencies will put to sleep a total of 12,980 dogs in a bid
to control the spread of rabies, Antara reported yesterday.

A Donggala official, Napsi Sunusi, said in Palu yesterday that
another 30,287 dogs will be vaccinated against the disease. The
disease kills, on average, 60 people every year, he said.

The offices had earlier planned to vaccinate 43,267 dogs, but
limited funds forced a change of plans, Napsi said.

Even then, the number of vaccinated dogs and those to be
killed with poison constitutes only 23 percent of the total dog
population roaming the regencies, he added.

The Donggala husbandry office is responsible for related
affairs in the regency's 16 districts, from along the northwest
border joining South Sulawesi with Central Sulawesi, all the way
up to North Sulawesi's border.

The vaccination and the poisoning program takes place in a
different district every year. "We need more vaccines," Napsi
said. (swe)