GEORGE TOWN, Sept 23 — Penang insisted today that it is not deliberately out to kill dogs in the state but is on a mission to control the spread of rabies.

State executive councillor for health Dr Afif Bahardin said the state’s decision to cull dogs is a matter of public health.

“We must remember that this is a matter of public health, we are not on a killing frenzy,” he said in a press conference with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today.

He added that the state has responded to animal groups and non-governmental organisations (NGO) on their proposals for mass vaccinations by international organisation, World Veterinary Services (WVS).

“They have submitted their proposals and we are looking into it,” he said.

WVS is offering to bring in 50,000 doses of vaccines along with manpower to assist in mass vaccinations, and has mooted a three-year plan to control the spread of rabies.

Dr Afif insisted, however, that there is so far insufficient evidence to show that vaccination can eradicate rabies.

“We have to look at evidence and evidence showed that we have eradicated rabies before through culling and last time it was worse, they shoot the dogs on sight while now, we are using the humane method of capture and euthanise them, no strangulation or shooting,” he said.

He said the culling will protect the public, other pet dogs, as well as dogs in shelters from contracting the disease.

Lim said the state government has been “unfairly punished”, simply because it was open enough to reach out to the NGOs.

“We still say they should bring their experts to talk to the experts from the Veterinary Services Department (DVS),” he said.

“Our experts are willing to talk to your experts and if we find the proposal suitable, we are willing to come up with a joint action plan,” he added.

The state has been heavily criticised in recent days by civil society groups and dog lovers for ordering the culling exercise that started on September 16.

Penang, along with Perlis and Kedah, started culling stray dogs after the three states were declared rabies-infected last week.

So far, in Penang, only three stray dogs that had bitten people were tested positive for rabies while there is no report of humans infected with the disease so far.