Kerinci puts down dogs in rabies fight

Jon Afrizal, The Jakarta Post/Jambi

In an effort to come to grips with a rabies outbreak, the Kerinci regency administration has in the past month put down 281 dogs believed to have been infected with the disease. "The administration's team of veterinarians is examining other dogs believed to be infected with rabies. We expect more dogs to be put down," said the director of the Kerinci Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Agency, Hasani.

The number of dogs in the regency is estimated some 38,000. Many local people use dogs to guard their farms against attacks by wild pigs.

The drastic measure was taken after eight Kerinci residents were infected with the virus this year and the number is expected to grow unless precautionary measures are taken.

Last year, the number of people infected by rabies from dog bites amounted to over 20. No fatalities were reported but the spread of the disease has alarmed the regency government, especially given that the regency is a popular destination for tourists. The most popular tourist attraction in the regency is the Kerinci Seblat National Park.

The threat from rabies is considered serious by the Kerinci administration, which is waging an antirabies campaign on the internet. The administration's website (www.kerinci.org), for example, states that rabies poses a serious threat to tourists visiting the National Park.

"If you are bitten by a dog, you must seek out the dog's owner to find out whether the dog is infected with rabies," the website states.

If the dog is infected, the person must immediately seek medical attention.

"The treatment is simple. You need to receive an antirabies injection within three weeks of being bitten," the website continues.

As rabies poses a major threat to people in Kerinci, Hasani urged dog owners to pay close attention to their dogs. He suggested that they have their dogs vaccinated against rabies.