Rabies Fears Prompt Mass Pet Vaccination and Sterilisation Drive in Jembrana

Residents of Batuagung Village in Jembrana Regency, Bali, have been bringing their pets in droves to be vaccinated and sterilised amid mounting fears over the spread of rabies. The programme was launched after a positive rabies case emerged in the area in May 2026. The Jembrana Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Agency held a mass sterilisation and vaccination event at the Batuagung Banjar Hall on Friday (5/6/2026). Since morning, dozens of dogs and cats filled the venue, which was packed with locals. A total of 110 rabies-transmitting animals were targeted in the drive. Of these, 60 pets, mostly cats, underwent sterilisation, whilst 50 other dogs and cats received rabies vaccinations. Batuagung resident Ida Bagus Kade Diarma, 33, admitted he was worried after rabies was detected in his area. His concern deepened following reports that a resident in Melaya sub-district had reportedly died after being bitten by a stray cat. ‘I am just scared because I like keeping dogs. When you have a female dog, during mating season many male dogs come to the house. So we just sterilise her, to curb the population as well as prevent rabies,’ Diarma said. The rabies case in Batuagung began with a dog biting five residents on 12 May 2026. Laboratory test results on 15 May 2026 confirmed the dog was rabies-positive. The Head of Animal Health and Veterinary Public Health at the Jembrana Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Agency, I Gusti Ngurah Putu Sugiarta, said Batuagung Village is now a priority area for intervention. ‘The rabies case finding in Banjar Masean is of serious concern to us. With the sizeable dog population there, sterilisation and vaccination are being carried out to control the population as well as curb the risk of transmission,’ Sugiarta said. As of June 2026, 33 animal rabies cases had been recorded in Jembrana. Nevertheless, the figure is said to have declined compared with the same period the previous year. Sugiarta also stressed that rabies does not only affect dogs, but also cats and other warm-blooded animals. Therefore, the vaccination drive is now also targeting cats. ‘Indications of cases involving cats mean that vaccinating cats is now a priority for us alongside dogs,’ he added. Throughout 2026, one suspected human rabies case was also recorded in Banjar Kembangsari, Tukadaya Village, Melaya sub-district. The agency urged the public to routinely vaccinate their pets and not to let them roam free. ‘Vaccination is the owner’s responsibility. Animals must be kept properly, do not let them roam free as this can increase the potential for rabies transmission in the surrounding environment,’ Sugiarta stressed. The rabies control programme will be rolled out in phases to other sub-districts in Jembrana. For now, vaccine stocks are said to be sufficient to cover a dog population of around 40,400. ‘Vaccine availability to date remains adequate and there are no obstacles. Supply support from the Bali Provincial Government continues to run smoothly to back this programme,’ Sugiarta concluded.