Agency aims to rid Thailand of rabies by 2020

[webfact]

Agency aims to rid Thailand of rabies by 2020
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Disease Control Department says it is making good progress with its strategy to have no rabies-related human deaths by 2015 and rid the country of the disease by 2020.

Dr Sopon Mekthon, presiding over a conference yesterday on the eradication of rabies and other animal-to-human diseases, said that as many as a million people in Thailand were bitten by dogs or cats every year, but only half sought rabies injections despite knowing that such bites can be fatal.

Between 2005 and 2013, 130 rabies-related deaths were reported. So far this year, two have been reported, in Prachin Buri and Si Sa Ket.

Sorawit Thaneto, deputy chief of the Livestock Development Department, said his agency would speed up the campaign to have all dogs registered and ensure that both pet and stray dogs are vaccinated.

The department is also aiming to control stray dogs in communities. So far, only 300,000 dogs have been sterilised as part of the department's aim to spay at least a million pooches by 2015. He said they aimed to spay another 250,000 this year to meet the million-dog goal.


-- The Nation 2014-02-21

[rkidlad]

What about all the soi dogs?

[pedro01]

Vaccinate stray dogs? That bite a million people a year? How about euthanisation?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Robby nz]

2 posts this time before a pathetic red had to bring politics into it.

Complete waste of money trying to spay soi dogs there will always be some that are missed, they tried it in HuaHin 10 years ago and they are still breeding there.

Eradication is the only way.

[noitom]

The roaming dogs of Thailand. The get fed under highway overpasses by friendly Thai women out walking at 6AM. They are for the most part very sickly looking. They are a danger to children and adults passing by packs of sick dogs on main thoroughfares in Bangkok. They often approach snarl and act rabid. Thais should pass legislation to euthanize them as soon as possible.

[Barney R]

As far as I know some groups of monkeys here in Thailand carry rabies and along with the hundreds of thousands of soi dogs I cannot see this happening but good on them for trying .

[belg]

kill all soi dogs? that would be a realistic start

[tomyummer]

Vaccinate stray dogs? That bite a million people a year? How about euthanisation?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Thais don't like to put down animals. I've had two dogs that had deadly ailments (bad liver and snake bite) which normally would've been put down in the west. I couldn't get the vets to euthanize them even when I offered to do the injection. It's a Buddhist thing.

[marko kok prong]

promote a scheme where stray dogs are rounded up,and taken to a holding centre,they could then be sold en mass to vietnam,korea etc,the money could be used to pay the rice farmers

[01322521959]

What a load of rubbish. Riding my bike down my soi, I would say I'd say I've seen the same damn street dogs for years. The attitude here that we can't put dogs to sleep in this country means this will never work. Nothing will change.

Sent from my i-mobile i-NOTE WIFI 2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Hecate]

2 posts this time before a pathetic red had to bring politics into it.

Complete waste of money trying to spay soi dogs there will always be some that are missed, they tried it in HuaHin 10 years ago and they are still breeding there.

Eradication is the only way.

Actually the soi dog problem isn't that bad around downtown Hua Hin, There are lots of dogs, but most are pets. Once you get away from the Petchkasem Road, there are lots of strays because that's where people dump unwanted puppies. There are lots of people working very hard to get this problem under control, and it is much better than it was 20 years ago. Spay and neuter programs work very well in the west and could work here with more awareness and support.

The fact that more than 90 per cent of dogs are male suggests that there is an eradication program of some sort at work too. I've not sure that I've ever seen a neutered male dog in Thailand. Something happens to female dogs instead.

Edited February 21, 2014 by Hecate

[yooper2001]

There are too many dogs and rats in Thailand ( not government or police ) too rid Thailand of rabies. When you throw out food for the soi dogs to eat , the rats will feed on what the dogs leave behind.

The only way to stop rabies is to control the dog and rat population

STOP THROWING FOOD OUTSIDE ON THE STREETS FOR THE DOGS

[MrBrad]

I've heard that thanks to reincarnation many not-so-virtuous people come back as soi dogs in subsequent lives. And for that reason, dogs should not be destroyed.

Why is it that people are reincarnated as dogs? Cats, fish, chickens, and pigs would also work, wouldn't it? And if that could be true, how is it that killing fish, chickens and pigs--and eating them--is acceptable?

And I also know that many Thai, because of Buddhism, are not in favor of slaughtering any animal. They let non-Buddhist Thais do the butchering. But, of course, once the animal is dead, it would be a shame to waste the meat, so it's OK to eat it.

[Artist]

My wife's sister's toddler was bitten by a neighbour's dog recently. We were out at the time but with great presence of mind my sister-in-law rushed the little boy to the local shaman, who took a mouthful of Lao Khao and sprayed it over the wound. When we got back we took him to hospital for rabies injections but she still insisted on going to the shaman for treatment as well. I have a feeling that it wouldn't have worked though:)

[bluebluewater]

The fact that more than 90 per cent of dogs are male suggests that there is an eradication program of some sort at work too. I've not sure that I've ever seen a neutered male dog in Thailand. Something happens to female dogs instead.

It's "eradication" using natures way. The male dogs are on the females as soon as they go into heat for the first time. They are really too young to be having a first litter of pups. It stays that way until some sort of complication sets in and the female dies. Or she can't find the food she needs for her and the pups.

I would guess the life expectancy of a female dog is two, maybe three, years at best. The male dogs just keep on humpin'.

[pistachios]

legalise dog meat trade

problem solved.

[MilesofSmiles]

There are too many dogs and rats in Thailand ( not government or police ) too rid Thailand of rabies. When you throw out food for the soi dogs to eat , the rats will feed on what the dogs leave behind.

The only way to stop rabies is to control the dog and rat population

STOP THROWING FOOD OUTSIDE ON THE STREETS FOR THE DOGS

What are these "bins" you speak of ?

[Tywais]

Off topic posts politicizing the topic have been removed.

[bigbamboo]

promote a scheme where stray dogs are rounded up,and taken to a holding centre,they could then be sold en mass to vietnam,korea etc,the money could be used to pay the rice farmers

A sort of 'War on Dogs' you mean?

The big problem with that idea is that innocent Rovers and Fidos would be rounded up too as they would be 'easy meat' for the bounty hunters. Sound familiar?

[Barney R]

It is interesting about the soi dogs , no Thais admit to ownership of them until someone runs over one of them with a bike or car , then the tears and threats start until compensation is made especially if you are a falang . Seen it happen twice on suhkumvit soi 50 . Just another little money earner I guess .

[ChrisY1]

2 posts this time before a pathetic red had to bring politics into it.

Complete waste of money trying to spay soi dogs there will always be some that are missed, they tried it in HuaHin 10 years ago and they are still breeding there.

Eradication is the only way.

Agree...Thailand is the only place in the world where soi dogs survive and multiply.....even after being spayed IMO!...

[salavan]

i've found that most of the dogs that attack me which they do frequently because im a cyclist are not stray dogs but dogs that are owned by thai people and allowed to roam the streets they become very teritorial and will attack anyone near where they live

[Hecate]

The fact that more than 90 per cent of dogs are male suggests that there is an eradication program of some sort at work too. I've not sure that I've ever seen a neutered male dog in Thailand. Something happens to female dogs instead.

It's "eradication" using natures way. The male dogs are on the females as soon as they go into heat for the first time. They are really too young to be having a first litter of pups. It stays that way until some sort of complication sets in and the female dies. Or she can't find the food she needs for her and the pups.

I would guess the life expectancy of a female dog is two, maybe three, years at best. The male dogs just keep on humpin'.

Really? Why does this not happen in countries other than Thailand? I'm thinking some Buddhist drowns the female puppies at birth because it's seen as a lesser evil than neutering males. What a shame that Rhino horn is seen by some increasing male prowess instead of prairie oysters. Two birds, one stone. Or two stones I guess.

[olddoc]

This program has been running in conjunction with the World Health Organisation for some years.

The Thais should be congratulated for the effort expended in the attempt to eradicate Rabies.

Vaccinating and controlling the dog population is a vital part of the program.

Programs such as this can only succeed if the general public actively support the effort. The general Thai population would not support a mass extermination of dogs!

The virus is also be carried by cats and wildlife

Constant vigilance/monitoring of any human cases of Rabies is required to enable "Rabies Hot Spots" to be identified and action to e taken.

It is likely that the Thais will succeed in reducing the incidence of Rabies in humans to very mall numbers.

However , it must be remembered that Rabies is virtually 100% fatal in humans and therefore any animal bite/scratch should be regarded seriously and medical advise should always be sought.

[timber]

Can accountability cause a doctor to loss their licence. I see many officials promising to do things that, from a practical point can't be done. It seems to make them feel good to lie to the public and then forget about it.

[pedro01]

i've found that most of the dogs that attack me which they do frequently because im a cyclist are not stray dogs but dogs that are owned by thai people and allowed to roam the streets they become very teritorial and will attack anyone near where they live

Out if interest, how do you handle this?

I got attacked recently and am now a bit nervous about going out without some of defense.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[mike_rad]

Vaccinate stray dogs? That bite a million people a year? How about euthanisation?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Thais don't like to put down animals. ...It's a Buddhist thing.

Specifically a Theravada Buddhist thing. I've never understood this as Thais in general have no qualms about eating meat. The Dalai Lama once said that anyone who's serious about Buddhism would be vegetarian. It's very simple logic: if you eat meat then you condone the killing of animals.