Rabies Management, Madiun Frees Pet Vaccination

Giving rabies vaccines to cat and dog pets for free, which is held by the Madiun City Food and Agriculture Security Service. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Rabies is a deadly disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans via bite or scratch, especially by animals that have not been vaccinated. Therefore, early prevention is very important to avoid the spread of the virus.

One of the effective preventive measures is to provide regular rabies vaccines for pets such as dogs and cats.

As a form of commitment in efforts to prevent rabies, the Department of Food Security and Agriculture (DKPP) of Madiun City, East Java, held a free rabies vaccination program for community pets. This activity is carried out at the local office and aims to reduce the potential for rabies spread in the area.

Head of the Agriculture Division of the Madiun City DKPP, Wahyu Niken Febrianti, explained that this free vaccination is part of an anticipatory strategy so that Madiun City remains free from rabies. This activity is also part of the 107th anniversary celebration of Madiun City, as well as in collaboration with the Association of Veterinarians in the 5 East Java region.

"Through this vaccination, we want to make sure pets such as cats and dogs stay healthy and not become a source of rabies transmission," he said as quoted by ANTARA.

He added that the rabies virus is very dangerous, especially if it is transmitted to humans through animals whose health conditions are unknown.

A total of 200 doses of vaccine have been prepared for this program and all quotas have been met. The main targets for vaccination are cats and pet dogs. This year, the number of dogs registered to receive the vaccine reached 18, an increase from about 10 in the previous year. The rest is dominated by cats.

"Rabies is very dangerous because it can be transmitted through animal bites, especially those whose health history is unknown. So vaccination is an important step to maintain the health of animals as well as the environment," he said.

Before the injection is carried out, each animal is examined first to ensure its condition is healthy. The examination includes checking body temperature, mouth condition, and ears. Only animals who are declared healthy and at least six months old can be vaccinated. This vaccination can be repeated according to the specified schedule to maintain animal immunity.

Niken added that until now there have been no cases of rabies in pets in Madiun City. However, preventive measures are still needed so that the community and pets remain safe. Annual vaccinations like this become an important part of the animal and public health protection program in general.

Some of the conditions that must be met so that animals can be vaccinated include being in good health, not being pregnant, and being at least six months old. It is hoped that with this program, residents of Madiun City can have healthy pets and are protected from the threat of rabies.