GEORGE TOWN, Oct 7 — Stop Killing Start Vaccinating Coalition (SKSV) today urged the Penang government to stop culling strays now that the Veterinary Services Department (DVS) has confirmed that the state’s rabies problem is now under control.

The group noted in a statement today that although the department declared the situation under control, it did not explain why the culling exercise could not be called off.

“It is important to note that in Perlis, culling mostly stopped after September 23, as only two more strays were culled between September 23 and October 5,” the group said, adding that culling in Kedah has also ended.

SKSV representatives along with spokesperson Lim Li Lian and Worldwide Veterinary Services’ (WVS) Dr Luke Gamble met with Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek and DVS deputy director Dr Kamarudin Md Isa in Putrajaya yesterday.

The group questioned DVS on why the entire Penang was declared rabies-infected when only four positive cases were identified and confined to only two locations, namely Pokok Sena in north Seberang Perai, and Balik Pulau.

They also demanded that the DVS provide clarification on when they plan to stop culling strays and on what criteria the culling decision was based.

“Since the DVS stated in the meeting that the situation is already under control, it logically follows that the culling should promptly end in Penang as it already had in Perlis and Kedah,” the group said.

They claimed both the minister and Dr Kamarudin could not provide them with any answers.

They claimed Dr Kamarudin expressed his belief that mass vaccinations might not work to control rabies and that there weren’t any examples of mass vaccination programmes that had successfully eliminated rabies.

“Lim cited multiple examples of locations around the world that have successfully eliminated rabies by conducting annual mass vaccination campaigns for dogs, such as Latin America and various places in Africa,” the group said in a statement today.

They also pointed out that in comparison, Perlis and Kedah have higher numbers of rabies infections: 18 cases in Kedah and 20 cases in Perlis.

“Even though Penang has the lowest rate of rabies cases, the DVS rabies epidemiology report shows that Penang has the culled the highest number of stray dogs and cats,” they claimed.

As of October 5, Penang has killed 1,711 animals, compared to 1,693 in Kedah, and 299 in Perlis.

WVS together with SKSV are now working with the Penang state government to implement mass vaccination of strays in the state pending relevant approvals by Putrajaya.

WVS, an international charity founded in 2002, is sponsoring 40,000 doses of vaccines worth RM2.6 million for Penang as free aid along with a team of 150 people to assist in mass vaccination.

SKSV is also mobilising local volunteers to implement public education campaigns and to build community-based infrastructure.

Additionally, SKSV is sponsoring neutering and spaying projects while advocating for policy changes toward long-term and sustainable solutions to protect public health, humanely reduce the stray animal population and promote animal welfare.