Man compounded for bringing dog from Kuching to Limbang
Uggah (centre) during a recent committee meeting in this file photo.
KUCHING: A man who tried to bring a dog from Kuching to Limbang yesterday became the first person to be compounded for taking a dog out from a rabies-infected area without movement permit from the state veterinary authority.
State Disaster Management Committee secretariat head Major Ismail Mahedin said the dog was transported by air from Kuching to Lawas with transit in Miri.
Acting on tip off from the public, the veterinary officer from Lawas went to check on the dog and its owner, and it was found that no movement permit was given to bring the dog there.
The dog owner was subsequently compounded RM500. Bringing out dogs and cats from rabies-infected areas without movement permit from the state veterinary authority is an offence under the Veterinary Public Health Ordinance 1999.
“The public are reminded that dogs and cats cannot be brought out from rabies-infected areas at will. Neither can the pet dogs be allowed to roam freely in rabies-infected areas. Both are offences punishable under the Section 37(2) & (3) of the Ordinance, with a fine not more than RM2,500 or jail term not more than two months or both,” he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas in a statement issued by State Disaster Management Committee announced that three more areas have been declared as rabies-infected. These areas are the Dalat Disrict Health Office in Mukah division, Miri Airport, and Shin Yang Plywood Sdn. Bhd area in Kuala Baram, Miri.
This announcement by Uggah, who is also State Disaster Management Committee chairman, meant there are now 44 localities declared as rabies-infected in Sarawak since the disease was first detected in June last year.It was also announced that the State Disaster Management Committee has agreed to outsource the vaccines in an effort to control the spread of rabies.
“The Veterinary Services Department has also dispatched an additional 3,000 viles of vaccines to Miri. A total 28 additional veterinary assistants have also been directed to report for duty on Oct 15 to increase the capacity at the department,” it added.
Thus far, the rabies epidemic has killed 12 people in Sarawak since June last year.
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