International Organisations Addressing Mass Culling In Penang

This is from the Stop Killing Start Vaccinating FB page.

Please share widely.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/1011757392187920/photos/pcb.1018036448226681/1018035461560113/?type=3&theater

PLEASE SHARE WIDELY – OPEN LETTER sent to Chief Minister and DVS Deputy Directors by 16 international, regional, and Malaysian organizations (an effort organized by Asia for Animals Coalition) addressing mass culling in Penang – on the risks of mass culling on public health, and advocating for mass vaccination being the optimal public health and ethical and humane approach. Thank you Asia for Animals Coalition.

Dear Mr. Lim Guan Eng

I am writing on behalf of the Asia for Animals Coalition, representing international organisations with a shared focus on improving the welfare of animals across Asia, and with extensive experience and expertise in the successful delivery of humane dog population management and rabies elimination programmes throughout the region. We express our deep concern with regards to reports of the mass and indiscriminate culling of dogs in Penang.
We understand the need for the authorities to take urgent action to manage the outbreak of canine rabies given the growing concern for human health–However, culling dogs does not stop the spread of rabies and there are humane and effective alternatives to the mass removal and indiscriminate killing of roaming animals.

The indiscriminate removal of dogs has been proven to be an ineffective method of dog population management and canine rabies control and elimination, and is in breach of recommendations by leading human and animal health experts and authorities, including the World Health Organization
(WHO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The WHO recognises that “there is no evidence that removal of dogs alone has ever had a significant impact on dog population
densities or the spread of rabies”; and the OIE states that “animal vaccination remains the method of choice to control and eradicate rabies”. To be most effective, such programs should be paralleled by human public health preventive measures and humane dog population management (dog
sterilisation).

It is widely accepted that canine rabies vaccination coverage of at least 70% reduces transmission enough to control outbreaks of the disease in the dog population, which leads to the prevention of virus transmission from dogs to humans. It has been seen that where > 80% of dogs are properly vaccinated against rabies, the occurrence of human rabies cases ceases promptly. Furthermore, the costs of rabies elimination programs that are focused mainlyon mass vaccination of dogs are justified by the future financial savings of human rabies prevention programs5, as the unit price per dog vaccination is lower than human Post-Exposure prophylactic treatment.

According to the OIE, “with only 10% of the financial resources used worldwide to treat people after a dog bite, veterinary services would be able to eradicate rabies in animals and thus stop almost all human cases”. The mass and indiscriminate culling is already being met with public opposition and condemnation from both within Malaysia and from the international community, threatening Penang’s and Malaysia’s reputation. As a Coalition of organisations with extensive experience and expertise in the successful delivery of humane dog population management and rabies elimination programmes throughout Asia, we are committed to offering the City of Penang and government of Malaysia with the support and expertise needed to tackle concerns associated with dog population management and rabies control
and elimination.

We urge the City of Penang to urgently halt the mass and indiscriminate extermination of roaming dogs, and to adopt proven humane and sustainable solutions to dog population management and rabies control and elimination.
We hope to be able to make a positive contribution to this move towards a humane solution, to promote and protect both human and animal health, and thereby urge you to meet with representatives from our Coalition or other parties involved in rabies prevention and dog management to discuss the development of humane and sustainable solutions.

Sent on behalf of the following organizations
Animal Guardians
Animal People
Animals Asia Foundation
ACRES
Blue Cross of India
Change for Animals Foundation
Earth Island Institute
Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations
Humane Society International
International Animal Rescue
International Fund for Animal Welfare
Philippine Animal Welfare Society
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (UK)
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Hong Kong
Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
World Animal Protection

Please respond to David Neale, Animal Welfare Director, Animals Asia Foundation, 10/F, Kai Tak Commercial Building 317-319 Des Voeux Road, Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
dneale@animalsasia.org

A memorandum from animal welfare organisations in Hong Kong urging Malaysia to stop culling dogs and start vaccinating:
https://www.facebook.com/1011757392187920/photos/a.1012035228826803.1073741829.1011757392187920/1018248038205522/?type=3&theater

Source: http://myanimalcare.org/2015/10/02/international-organisatio..

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