Mass Vaccinations Set To Curb Rabies Outbreaks In Bali’s Tourist Resorts 

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Veterinary officials in Bali will be running a series of mass vaccination drives on stray, community-owned, and pet dogs in the region.

The mission is to vaccinate over 70,000 dogs against rabies for the protection of local people and tourists. 

The Denpasar City Government, along with the Provincial Agriculture Service, have set a target to vaccinate over 73,000 dogs in 2024.

The Head of the Denpasar City Agriculture Service, AA Gde Bayu Brahmasta, or who is more often called Gung Bayu, said that his teams are very focused on preventing rabies. One of the key reasons for the public mass vaccination drive is to support the tourism sector. 

Gung Bayu told reporters, “We are very focused on preventing rabies. We continue to carry out various efforts to support the optimization of rabies prevention.”

He added, “We are targeting 90 percent of the predicted population, around 73,975 individuals; of course, cross-sector collaboration is needed to reach that number.”

It is estimated that in 2024, the number of dogs in the Denpasar City jurisdiction of Bali will reach 82,000. 

Gung Bayu added, “Hopefully, sustainable rabies prevention efforts in Denpasar City can continue to be optimized, especially in Bali, which is known as a tourist area.”

Top attractions in the Denpasar area of Bali include Sanur Beach, Serangan Island, and the Denpasar Heritage area, home to landmarks like the Bajra Sandhi Monument. 

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Aside from mass vaccination drives against rabies, the Indonesian Veterinary Association, Denpasar City Government, and Provincial Agriculture Service periodically offer free sterilization clinics to dogs in the area.

They also catch, neuter, and release stray dogs. 

The Chair of the Bali Branch of the Indonesian Veterinary Association (PDHI), Dr Dewa Made Anom, told reporters that both mass vaccination and mass sterilization of dogs have a positive impact on the dog’s welfare and public health. 

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Dr. Anom told reporters, “A sterilized dog will be healthier, live longer, and be obedient to its owner. They also do not suffer from venereal diseases and skin diseases that are transmitted from contact with other dogs.”

Evidence suggests that neutering male dogs can help make them less aggressive, reducing the risk of dog fights and dog attacks.

Of course, the biggest benefit of mass neutering dogs in Bali is that it helps control the population, reducing the pressure on many of the island’s leading animal welfare groups. 

Organizations like BAWA and the Bali Animal Welfare Association are called to rescue puppies and dogs on a daily basis. The organization also runs mass neutering and vaccination drives to help support local communities with at-risk dog populations.

Over the course of a year, BAWA has conducted over 6,000 sterilizations, over 22,000 emergency call-outs, provided over 250,000 meals to hungry animals in Bali, and issued over 9,000 annual rabies vaccinations. 

Tragically, rabies is a real threat to Bali.

While for many pet owners in Australia, Europe, and North America, the rabies vaccination is a precaution, the rabies vaccinations in Bali seriously save the lives of both people and dogs. 

Last year, several people lost their lives to rabies in Bali, including a 6-year-old girl.

It is vitally important for tourists to seek immediate medical attention if they have been bitten by a dog, monkey, or potentially rabies-carrying animal in Bali or anywhere in the world. 

According to the World Health Organisation, “After exposure of people to a potentially rabid animal, they should seek post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which consists of immediate, thorough wound washing.”

Symptoms of rabies post-exposure typically do not manifest for 2-3 months, though sometimes people have shown symptoms as early as one week post-exposure and as far away as one year.

WHO says, “Initial symptoms of rabies include generic signs like fever, pain, and unusual or unexplained tingling, pricking, or burning sensations at the wound site.

As the virus moves to the central nervous system, progressive and fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cord develops.”