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Mass Rabies vaccinations Underway on Bali
September 29, 2010

Street dogs on Kuta Beach in Bali, where a rabies outbreak has killed 93 people since 2008. An Australian government-backed campaign by the World Society for the Protection of Animals is aiming to vaccinate almost 400,000 dogs against the disease. (EPA Photo) Street dogs on Kuta Beach in Bali, where a rabies outbreak has killed 93 people since 2008. An Australian government-backed campaign by the World Society for the Protection of Animals is aiming to vaccinate almost 400,000 dogs against the disease. (EPA Photo)
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Jakarta. A campaign to vaccinate almost 400,000 dogs against rabies began on Tuesday on the Indonesian tourist island of Bali, where an outbreak of the disease has killed 93 people since 2008, officials said.

The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) is running the mass vaccination program in conjunction with the provincial government, which has been trying to stop the outbreak by culling thousands of stray dogs.

“Rabies remains a threat to both human and animal populations and still kills 55,000 people annually,” WSPA Chief Executive Officer Mike Baker said in a statement. “Bali’s multi-stakeholder approach will prove once again that the only effective solution to the rabies problem is one that combines compassion with scientific knowledge.”

He said the vaccination agreement would save the lives of tens of thousands of dogs on the Hindu-majority island and “create a historic reference in the global fight against rabies.”

Experts say culling is not the most effective or humane way to deal with rabies outbreaks.

Bali animal husbandry agency chief Putu Sumantra said it would take up to four months to carry out the vaccinations.

The project has been supported by the Australian government, which donated 370,000 doses of the dog rabies vaccine, WSPA said.

Bali is one of the most popular destinations for Australian tourists, who are drawn to its Hindu culture, surf beaches and nightlife.


Agence France-Presse