GEORGE TOWN, Jan 8 – The Penang Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) and Penang Save Our Strays Neutering Society (SOS) vaccinated one hundred stray dogs in Tanjung Bunga, Batu Ferringhi and Teluk Bahang to prevent the dogs from the spread of rabies. The stray dogs were vaccinated free through the joint initiative said SOS founder April Som.
She said this is the first round of a mass vaccination exercise to vaccinate strays dogs in the state. She said they have also prepared 500 vaccinations for strays. She told this to the reporters when met at Tanjung Bunga when the vaccination exercise was carried out on Thursday.
The Penang government had come under fire from animal lovers and Non-Governmental Organisations after stray dogs were culled last year during a rabies outbreak in the northern states. Animal lovers had at that time urged for the order to be rescinded and called for a mass vaccination programme to be initiated instead to avoid more culling. She said they had urge the local authorities to inform if strays were caught or found, so that they can quickly vaccinate them.
