Free rabies shots for susceptible pet animals

Free rabies shots for susceptible pet animals

JAKARTA (JP): The city has asked all residents with pets
susceptible to rabies to immediately take the animals to nearby
animal husbandry offices to receive free vaccinations.

According to the head of the city's Animal Husbandry Office,
Soemitro, the service, which will last until Dec. 31, applies to
warm-blooded animals, such as dogs, cats and monkeys.

"The massive free-service operation is meant to prevent rabies
from becoming an epidemic in the capital," Soemitro was quoted by
Antara as saying Thursday.

Soemitro hoped pet owners would support the program by taking
their animals to mayoralty animal husbandry offices.

The offices are located on Jl. Tanah Abang I, Central Jakarta;
at Kompleks PU on Jl. Dewi Sartika, East Jakarta; the mayoralty
office on Jl. Trunojoyo No. I, South Jakarta; the mayoralty
office on Jl. Yos Sudarso, North Jakarta; and at the Rabies
Observation House on Jl. Peternakan II, West Jakarta, Soemitro
said.

Free vaccinations are also available at Pondok Rangon medical
post on Jl. TPU Pondok Rangon, East Jakarta; Ragunan medical post
on Jl. Harsono RM No. 28 in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta; Jakarta
Veterinary Hospital on Jl. Harsono RM No. 28 and Jl. Harsono RM
No. 10 in South Jakarta, he said.

Rabies is an acute virus disease of the nervous system.
Symptoms in humans are characterized by increased salivation,
abnormal behavior, and eventual paralysis and death. It is
transmitted to humans by bite of a rabid animal.

According to Soemitro, human beings bitten by rapid animals
should be immediately taken to a hospital before being treated at
the Tarakan Hospital in Central Jakarta or Prof. Dr. Sulianto
Suroso Infection Center Hospital in North Jakarta.

He gave no figures on recent victims of rabies. (bsr)