Press Releases

Dogs should be vaccinated against rabies
Wednesday, May 9, 2001

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) reminds dog owners to have their dogs vaccinated against rabies as a precautionary measure against this disease.

Under the Rabies Ordinance, which has been in force since 1994, all dogs aged over five months must be vaccinated against rabies, licenced and microchipped to strengthen the prevention against this fatal disease, an AFCD spokesman said today (May 9).

The anti-rabies vaccine must be injected at least once every three years. Vaccination is available from any private veterinary surgeon, the clinics of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or AFCD's animal management centres. Over 28,000 dogs were vaccinated last year.

"Although the last reported case of rabies in Hong Kong was in 1987, we need to remain vigilant to prevent this disease from recurring.

"There are still many parts of Asia where rabies in animals is not properly controlled. All it would take for rabies to return is for someone to smuggle an infected animal, such as a puppy, into Hong Kong," the spokesman said.

Rabies is special in this regard because a dog can be infected with the rabies virus but show no signs of disease for several months. When dogs develop signs of rabies, they often become unusually aggressive and bite people and other animals, spreading the infection. Once signs of disease occur, it is invariably fatal.

Anyone thinking about bringing a dog or cat into Hong Kong should contact AFCD's import control unit on 2150 7070 or check the department's web site (www.info.gov.hk/afcd) for details of controls currently in place.

"The key measure in our local rabies control programme is vaccination. Apart from veterinary clinics and animal management centres, we have a special mobile vaccination team traveling to villages in the northern New Territories. Last year they vaccinated over 6,000 dogs.

"In addition, we keep the population of stray animals under control. As a result of a number of special operations to tackle stray dog problem areas, the number of dogs caught has increased from 12,820 in 1999 to 14,200 in 2000," the spokesman said.

He also appealed to dog owners not to abandon their dogs. If they can no longer care for their dogs, they should take them to the nearest animal management centre.

Rabies is a fatal disease transmitted from animals to man mainly through dog bites. Anyone who is bitten by a dog should promptly seek medical attention.