Pets banned from travel

Pets banned from travel

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: The transport of animals from
island to island is to be banned to prevent the spread of rabies,
an official here said.

Antara quoted Th. Saelan, the provincial head of the animal
husbandry agency, as referring to a 1992 law which states people
are forbidden from carrying dogs, cats, monkeys and other rabies
vectors to other islands or regions.

Since early this year at least 10 people have died and 200
have been hospitalized after being infected with rabies in
Larantuka, East Flores regency. At least 35,000 dogs have been
killed to prevent the further spread of the disease, according to
the Sikka regency health office.

Transmission of the disease to humans takes place mainly
through dog bites, although infection through contact with
monkeys has been reported in the border area between East Flores
and Sikka.

East Flores regent Henky Mukin said rabies began to spread
here after a resident brought a dog from Buton Island in
Southeast Sulawesi.

In July the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Health
and the Ministry of Agriculture's director general of animal
husbandry began a concerted effort to stop the spread of rabies.
Antara did not report what specific measures were taken. (byg)