17,000 dogs get anti-rabies shots in Denpasar

DENPASAR: The Denpasar city administration has vaccinated 17,000 dogs out of the estimated 19,000 living in its territory, an official said Saturday.

"We still have 2,000 dogs that have not been vaccinated. We hope dog owners will actively participate in this effort and contact the Denpasar Animal Husbandry Agency if they need the vaccine," said agency head Dewa Made Ngurah.

He said the agency would continue to look for dogs that had not been vaccinated, declaring no official target as to when the program would be completed.

In three months, his agency will hold the second mass vaccination, targeting dogs that have been vaccinated in the first round as required in any rabies vaccination program.

"We hope this effort can restore Denpasar, and Bali, to its rabies-free area status as before," he said. - JP