Must Read Rabies outbreak in downtown Hua Hin - authorities cordon off area

[webfact]

Rabies outbreak in downtown Hua Hin - authorities cordon off area

 

Picture: Daily News

 

HUA HIN: -- The deadly disease rabies has hit downtown Hua Hin.

 

Local officials rushed to cordon off the infected area after ten people were bitten.

 

A black dog was taken in and after its brain was examined vets confirmed it had rabies.

 

Now everyone has been urged to get their dogs and cats vaccinated as health officials scurry to protect the public.

 

Busaba Choksuchart of the local council said that the authorities became concerned after ten people were bitten in the same area.

 

The area is in the Samor Rian community of Soi Phrae Phan behind Wat Hua Hin and in the market area of Chomsin Road.

 

Earlier a stray male black dog had been taken in for examination. When it died its brain was cut open to reveal the deadly disease had killed it.

 

Worried officials rushed to the concerned area with pictures of the dead dog and discovered it had been roaming all over the area.

 

Most of the people bitten had already been vaccinated. But one old woman who had been scratched on the face was immediately taken to Hua Hin hospital.

 

Busaba urged dog and cat owners to have their pets vaccinated for free, reported Daily News.

 

Source: Daily News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-08-08

[z42]

You would think this kind of thing would spur the authorities into radically changing the approaches to dealing with soi dogs.

I expect little more than a committee set up, a bigwig making an announcement that all rabid dogs are gone from tourist areas and how that soi dogs are actually all wondetfully cared for and don't ever bite people really ?

This episode is the epitome of a scandal now and will be compounded with the follow up steps no doubt.

[geriatrickid]

The issue is not the soi cat/dog themselves, but the people who refuse to spay and neuter and who abandon the animals when they are no longer cute playthings, and the slime who run the puppy/kitten mills without any concern for public health.

 

The only way to prevent these  events is to  reintroduce the low cost spaying/neutering and community rabies vaccinations where all animals are vaccinated either through injection or in the use of treated bait as is done with feral populations in the bush.

 

I anticipate that some ignorant jerk will be along in  short order to advocate a wide scale  slaughter. That approach is ineffective for the simple reason that there will be new dogs and cats to take over territories  vacated by the dead animals. Keeping neutered and spayed animals where they are, controls the population down naturally and is proven effective. Vaccinating populations removes  the vectors of infection. Thailand will always have a  reservoir of infection until the irresponsible breeders are  shut down and the local somchais are kept from letting their animals  roam about when not neutered and spayed.  I don't know what it is about so many people who refuse to spay or neuter, even when foreign charities pay. There is no valid  religious basis upon which to argue against the procedure.

 

 

[mikebell]

6 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

I anticipate that some ignorant jerk will be along in  short order to advocate a wide scale  slaughter.

That's me.  Repeated wide scale slaughter will eradicate the problem.  New dogs will not come along as it's hard to reproduce if you're dead.

 

9 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

the local somchais are kept from letting their animals  roam about

Agree entirely - this is how some of the reproducing takes place.  Many of these soi dogs have wretched lives - mercy killing is the way forward.  If left to Thais, rat poison is used.

[Thian]

How about the rabies outbreaks in Nonthaburi and some other spots a few months ago? Is that under control now or is it spreading all over Thailand?

 

I hope the new quality tourists don't mind some extra vaccinations to see beautifull Thailand and it's wildlife along the roads.

 

[BB1955]

The problem in Hua Hin is far out of control . Spay and neuter is fine .But the stray dog issue there is going to call for a different approach to be effective . Those that live there know what i mean . Between the stray dogs and the trash dumps on nearly every empty lot . My time in Hua Hin was less than two months .

[edwinchester]

Well that initiative didn't seem to last long.

[natway09]

A controlled culling is called for. Some of the temple & Soi dogs are a danger to society in general & must be controlled

It will never happen here as religious teachings are more important than public health (unfortunately).

I do not consider myself an " ignorant jerk" & have been involved in the front line of deer culling in the past.

[Puccini]

It is a Thai Buddhist thing. They have no qualms about lying, cheating, robbing and murdering, but stray dogs are untouchable and must be left to roam and foul the streets and pavements and to bite people and infect them with rabies. For the people who die from the disease, it is their karma.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Elkski]

I say eat em.   To the amusement of native Americans the Lewis and Clark expedition loved dog meat the best.  Out of deer, elk, moose, bison, antelope.   I haven't knowingly tried it.  And some SOI and house dogs look like festering pus bags. 

[Get Real]

7 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

The issue is not the soi cat/dog themselves, but the people who refuse to spay and neuter and who abandon the animals when they are no longer cute playthings, and the slime who run the puppy/kitten mills without any concern for public health.

 

The only way to prevent these  events is to  reintroduce the low cost spaying/neutering and community rabies vaccinations where all animals are vaccinated either through injection or in the use of treated bait as is done with feral populations in the bush.

 

I anticipate that some ignorant jerk will be along in  short order to advocate a wide scale  slaughter. That approach is ineffective for the simple reason that there will be new dogs and cats to take over territories  vacated by the dead animals. Keeping neutered and spayed animals where they are, controls the population down naturally and is proven effective. Vaccinating populations removes  the vectors of infection. Thailand will always have a  reservoir of infection until the irresponsible breeders are  shut down and the local somchais are kept from letting their animals  roam about when not neutered and spayed.  I don't know what it is about so many people who refuse to spay or neuter, even when foreign charities pay. There is no valid  religious basis upon which to argue against the procedure.

 

 

Just two things to do, and that´s the 2 problems.

Take care of the soi dogs or shoot them off one by one.

[johng]

Any dog or cat (bear,tiger,elephant,crocodile,snake etc etc ) that is wandering around in an urban area without owner should be rounded up and sent to the pound..if after 2 months the owner or a new owner is not found then they should be humanely
"put to sleep"
At the same time owners should be required to take proper care of their animals...that includes health care and not letting them be a nuisance to the community.

[Orton Rd]

53 minutes ago, johng said:

Any dog or cat (bear,tiger,elephant,crocodile,snake etc etc ) that is wandering around in an urban area without owner should be rounded up and sent to the pound..if after 2 months the owner or a new owner is not found then they should be humanely
"put to sleep"
At the same time owners should be required to take proper care of their animals...that includes health care and not letting them be a nuisance to the community.

Not so easy as idiot do gooders stick collars on strays so they will not be carted off, there is only one cure for 4 million strays and that's killing them and burning the bodies. Offering a bounty of a few baht for every soi dog corpse brought in would soon get over any Buddhist morals. 

Edited August 8, 2017 by Orton Rd

[Elkski]

My city in Utah recently I acted a no kill policy regarding dogs and cats. They used  to use a CO box hooked up to vehicle exhaust.   Maybe old school and not do humane?? The pressure just became to great by animal lovers. Maybe animal lovers stepped up  a and donated money for operations?  I  I hope my tax dollars are not paying for the new program. Most Cities here provide traps with deposit in case your having an issue.  It's legal and within your rights to live trap on your property.  There are laws regarding no wandering pets including cats.  But if you trap  a a cat you are seen like a criminal.  Most pets here are chipped so the owners get a call and pay the hotel  a fine and go home.  Most pets have tags and shots. Rabies outbreaks are so 3 Rd World but I can't see this preventing tourists.  Dog bites are something that people think won't happen to them.  But in my 72 days in Thailand I can see dogs are a big problem.  Dogs running rough shod inside beach  side resorts because the resort has no options.  SOI dogs charging me and my partner causing the scooter to crash breaking some ladies  plant pottery and injuring my partners foot and leg.   SOI dogs charging out of open house gates with unknown outcomes by me.  A man should be able to walk in peace.  I see many  people carry sticks. Dogs crossing or laying in the roads. How many crashes, how much property damage and injuries have they caused?

The new procedure in my city is to catch, make infertile and release back to the same spot.   If you think about this it means that if done to a high enough percentage the population will just crash in a  few  dog generations. Meanwhile the released animals consume the food supply preventing new animals from moving in. I think the results will be the same.  It just takes longer and costs more than extermination. The monks should just proclaim they are a health food and open season.  

Edited August 8, 2017 by Elkski

[Elkski]

I should add that I had dogs as a kid and a black lab hunting dog a few years ago.  It was sad when I had to have it put down.  At the insistence of a neighbor. After a family BBQ and his autistic son was bitten in the face. His son bitten as  he approached my dog with his teeth barred as they always were.  I didnt see it but his sister did. My dog was chewing on a bone.  I had removed all dog toys and the dog was in her kennel for the first hours but after dinner and proper introduction's I let the dog out.  She was just in her favorite spot chewing on a bone.   After this incident I kept her in the kennel and wouldn't let wife or kids have any contact with her  I looked for help in groups like Lab rescue but they have a no bite policy.  Two trainers told me they could take my 500$ for training but we would just never know.  Like a time bomb.  It was a very sad episode for me and my family.  

 

I just wanted to say this so my eat the dog solution above would not be taken out of context.   

All these mangy dogs In Thailand is a problem that needs addressed.   I see so many who have been hit by a car or bitten in fights open and have open wounds.  

Edited August 8, 2017 by Elkski

[chocdee120]

A few years ago my friend was bitten near the police station. He was treated at Bangkok hospital, the first jab was 19000 baht. I thought it was a mistake so went back with him to check. The pharmacist told me that no it was not a mistake that was the cost of the main anti Rabies jab followed by more injections at a much lower cost. I think the city council should pick up the tab as they are turning a blind eye, nothing new in that.

[happydays]

Quote

17 hours ago, webfact said:

Busaba urged dog and cat owners to have their pets vaccinated for free, reported Daily News.

Where do we go to get our pets vaccinated for free?

 

[el jefe]

13 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Well that initiative didn't seem to last long.

Is it 2020 already???

[Mooner]

1 hour ago, chocdee120 said:

A few years ago my friend was bitten near the police station. He was treated at Bangkok hospital, the first jab was 19000 baht. I thought it was a mistake so went back with him to check. The pharmacist told me that no it was not a mistake that was the cost of the main anti Rabies jab followed by more injections at a much lower cost. I think the city council should pick up the tab as they are turning a blind eye, nothing new in that.

Been ripped off. How would a average Thai afford to pay 19000? 

Google quotes around 400 baht.

[Elkski]

Man I was reading about rabies on wiki.  No wonder Thai officials seemed to get concerned.  Once a human has symptoms they basically will die.  Only 6 people have ever survived.  Symptoms can take a week to 6 months to appear.   Washing the exposure site for 15 mins with soap and water can help.   

Exposure can be a bite or saliva getting on the eyes, or nose tissue. 

The scary thing is some other dog or source gave it to this black dog. 

[meatboy]

the black dog was taken in after its brain was examind,why didnt they do the officials at the same time.

[Orton Rd]

8 hours ago, chocdee120 said:

A few years ago my friend was bitten near the police station. He was treated at Bangkok hospital, the first jab was 19000 baht. I thought it was a mistake so went back with him to check. The pharmacist told me that no it was not a mistake that was the cost of the main anti Rabies jab followed by more injections at a much lower cost. I think the city council should pick up the tab as they are turning a blind eye, nothing new in that.

Thais are treated free as emergency case, Mrs got bitten last year never paid anything for the injections

[MichaelJohn]

Stand 5 Hours in an immigration queue; have a scary, death defying ride in a Minivan to HuaHin and get bitten by a Rabid dog.

Welcome to Thailand.

Then get ripped off by a Jet Ski operator or drowned by a speed boat.

[webfact]

Hua Hin declared temporary rabies outbreak zone

By The Nation

 

Hua Hin beach has been declared a rabies outbreak area following attacks by a stray dog with rabies.

 

Phittaya Kanama, chief livestock officer of Hua Hin district in Prachuap Khiri Khan, announced on Tuesday that Tambon Hua Hin from Kraikungwol Palace to the Khao Phithak community will be monitored for a month due to rabies concerns. The centre of the zone is considered a three kilometre radius from the Poolsuk community.

 

Phittaya said he took the measure after a black dog bit local residents and foreigners and others dogs and cats on Saturday. 

 

The dog died during quarantine and a lab test found it had rabies.

 

Hua Hin Hospital reported that 15 people were bitten by dogs and received rabies vaccine.

 

Phittaya said livestock officials have provided vaccinations to 18 dogs and cats that were attacked by the dog.

 

He said livestock officials and officials from the Hua Hin stray dog shelter have vaccinated stray dogs in the area.

 

He said another brown dog was suspected to have rabies and was being quarantined at the Rak Sunak Hua Hin dog shelter. He said the dog shelter is now taking care of almost 1,000 dogs and could not take more stray dogs.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30323291

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-09

 

[johng]

Not so easy as idiot do gooders stick collars on strays so they will not be carted off, there is only one cure for 4 million strays and that's killing them and burning the bodies. Offering a bounty of a few baht for every soi dog corpse brought in would soon get over any Buddhist morals. 

I know what you're saying but just having a collar on shouldn't mean exemption from being rounded up,
if it is roaming around without its "owner" present and controling it then take it to the pound...where the "owner" can then come and collect it after paying a suitable fine...the fine should increase for persistent offending owners with last resort of confiscating the animal.

Fully agree with the rest of your comments.

Sent from my ASUS_Z00LD using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[hawker9000]

On ‎8‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 8:34 PM, mikebell said:

That's me.  Repeated wide scale slaughter will eradicate the problem.  New dogs will not come along as it's hard to reproduce if you're dead.

 

Agree entirely - this is how some of the reproducing takes place.  Many of these soi dogs have wretched lives - mercy killing is the way forward.  If left to Thais, rat poison is used.

Yeap.  Count me in, too.  Soi dogs don't really need much human assistance to reproduce ...  And the population ISN'T entirely due to owners who have abandoned their animals, OR who fail to spay/neuter them, although that undoubtedly worsens the problem and further complicates any solution.  Even if the country actually HAD animal control rounding them all up and turning them over to an SPCA, what do you think THEY would eventually have to do with the animals that didn't get adopted, as most would not?   Just leaving them be in the name of "compassion" to live out their lives and be dealt with as soi dogs and proliferate is actually the cruelest option!

 

Oh, and THEN there's rabies.   'Reason enough to get a handle on the situation!   I can't help but wonder how many kids out in the sticks get bitten by infected animals, don't appreciate the threat, wait too long for treatment (easy to do), and die rabies deaths that go unreported because no one wants to accept the blame for failure to recognize the danger or the early symptoms.  (Actually, if I understand correctly, once any symptoms become apparent, it's already too late.)  And not a particularly pleasant way to go...

 

Edited August 9, 2017 by hawker9000

[RichardColeman]

Thailand, quality tourist destination - rabies, dirty beaches, 4 hour airport waits, taxi rip-offs, huge death on the road, lady-boy thieves, stupid fines, mass brawls against foreigners ...............................

[Maestro]

Removed a post without a link to the source of quoted text, and the replies to it.

[Jonmarleesco]

12 hours ago, meatboy said:

the black dog was taken in after its brain was examind,why didnt they do the officials at the same time.

They could hazard a reasonable guess as to where the dog's was located.

[Jonmarleesco]

4 hours ago, Guitar God said:

Drugs are effective after a bite but not if you wait until symptoms appear. 

 

I can believe only six people survived after actually developing rabies. 

 

Thailand needs to do something about it's out of control dog problem. 

Thailand needs to do something about its ludicrous dog-protection laws.