THAT is the question northern state governments are asking as they struggle to contain a rabies outbreak threatening to spread beyond their borders. Since the alert was issued for Perlis, Penang and Kedah on Sept 17, animal lovers, state administrators and health experts have clashed over the best way to prevent the disease from spreading to other states, or worse, infecting humans. While no one has tested positive for rabies, infection tends to be sudden and deadly, placing more pressure on the authorities to contain the virus as quickly as possible. In Penang, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has been nicknamed œdog slayer by some animal welfare organisations and activists opposing his decision to include the culling of stray dogs as part of the states outbreak control measures. Groups, such as Selangors Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, say instead of culling, blanket vaccination of all dogs is the best method to contain the outbreak and prevent the unnecessary death of thousands of canines. œStop Killing, Start Vaccinating, a coalition comprising non-governmental organisations, argues that culling can have the reverse effect, accelerating the spread of rabies instead. œDogs have territories, and when threatened by catchers, they run to other territories. This will cause dogs to be aggressive when they come into contact with others not from their pack. This causes the spread of rabies, the groups committee member, Lim Li Lian, was reported as saying.
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