SERIAN, July 5 — Health authorities today put to sleep four pet dogs with symptoms of rabies in one of the five infected villages of Sarawak.

The dogs were put down by doctors and officers from the Sarawak Veterinary Services Department in Kampung Lebor, Gedong, near here.

Bernama learnt that the pets were put to sleep at the request of the villagers after they showed symptoms of the disease.

Villager Bliyang Gendin, 58, said his three-month-old pet dog became unwell a week ago and, not wanting to take a risk, he asked that the animal be put to sleep.

"Black became ill a week ago. The dog began showing signs of the disease, such as excessive salivating, pain in the legs and aggressiveness at seeing people,” he said.

"We were frightened by the behaviour of the dog and decided on having it put to sleep,” he said to Bernama.

The vaccination exercise in the village was targeted at not only dogs and cats but also squirrels.

The Sarawak government yesterday declared five villages in the Serian district as rabies-infected and called for the vaccination of all pet dogs within a 10-km radius of the villages.

Besides Kampung Leboh, the other villages are Kampung Kerait, Kampung Paon Rimu, Kampung Paun Rimu Bakung and Kampung Remun.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas today went down to the ground to see the vaccination exercise in Kampong Lebor and Kampung Paon Sungai Rimo.