Samarinda provides 2,000 free rabies vaccine doses to prevent transmission

Samarinda (ANTARA) - The Samarinda City Government, East Kalimantan, is providing 2,000 free doses of rabies vaccine for residents’ pets to prevent the transmission of the disease to humans. “We are providing free rabies vaccinations for animals that transmit rabies, such as dogs, cats, civets, and monkeys, as an early protection measure for the community and their beloved pets,” said Maskuri, Head of the Animal Husbandry and Animal Health Division of the Samarinda City Food Security and Agriculture Office, in Samarinda on Wednesday. The provision of thousands of free vaccine doses, he said, targets pet owners in maintaining the environmental health from the risk of spreading the virus that attacks the central nervous system. He explained that the requirements for animals to receive vaccination are quite simple, namely that the animals must be confirmed healthy, at least three months old, and not pregnant. The relevant agency also offers convenient services in the form of mobile teams ready to visit the owners’ locations directly if there are at least 10 animals to be vaccinated at one gathering point. “We target the 2,000 doses of vaccine prepared this year to be fulfilled soon through the active participation of Samarinda residents who realise that rabies is a serious threat to human safety,” Maskuri stated. Residents wishing to register their pets can visit the Samarinda City Animal Clinic at Jalan Biola, preparing data such as name, full address, number and type of animals, and including an active WhatsApp number. Samarinda residents are also urged to ensure their animals are securely controlled during the injection process, either using special animal crates or leashes for everyone’s comfort.