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)