Free rabies vaccines in Bali

Wed, March 15, 2017 / 11:50 am

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Dogs walk along Kuta Beach in Bali. JP/ Zul Trio Anggono
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A woman holds her pet while a husbandry team member makes a notation in Denpasar. JP/ Zul Trio Anggono
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A man fills a syringe with a rabies vaccine for dogs and cats to prevent the spread of the virus. JP/ Zul Trio Anggono
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An official from the Bali Husbandry Agency is assisted by a resident when vaccinating a dog. JP/ Zul Trio Anggono
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A husbandry officer carries a blowgun to administer a rabies vaccine to a dog in Sanur, Denpasar. JP/ Zul Trio Anggono
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A husbandry officer uses a blowgun to administer a rabies vaccine to a dog in Sanur, Denpasar. JP/ Zul Trio Anggono
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A man holds his dog before it is vaccinated during a free rabies vaccination and neutering program at Lumintang Field, Denpasar, on Nov. 24, 2016. JP/ Zul Trio Anggono
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A man carries his dog before having it vaccinated during a free rabies vaccination and neutering program at Lumintang Field, Denpasar, on Nov. 24, 2016. JP/ Zul Trio Anggono
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A veterinarian anesthetizes a dog during a free rabies vaccination and neutering program at Lumintang Field, Denpasar, on Nov. 24, 2016. JP/ Zul Trio Anggono
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Veterinarians sterilize a cat and a dog during a rabies vaccination and neutering program at Lumintang Field, Denpasar, on Nov. 24, 2016. JP/ Zul Trio Anggono
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A veterinarian sterilizes a cat during a free rabies vaccination and neutering program at Lumintang Field, Denpasar, on Nov. 24, 2016. JP/ Zul Trio Anggono
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Surgery tools used to sterilize dogs and cats. JP/ Zul Trio Anggono

Rabies is a serious problem in Bali, a major tourist destination. The situation has prompted the Bali administration to take a proactive approach to eradicating the disease, especially among stray dogs.

According to the province’s animal health division of the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Agency, there are around 500,000 dogs in Bali. The agency aims to conduct a mass vaccination of 465,000 dogs. However, the problem lies in the fact that only 5 percent of dog owners look after their pets properly. More than 70 percent of the dog population in Bali comprises pets but their owners let them roam freely without proper care. While 25 percent of the dogs are strays.

The administration has taken a number of actions including providing free rabies vaccines for five months in nine districts in Bali and by controlling the dog population.

The anti-rabies team has been assigned to register dogs, vaccinate them and mark dogs that have been vaccinated. This action is being performed to properly determine the number of dogs in the province