Maneka Gandhi takes note of rabies outbreak in CCpur

TSE, Imphal, Jan 16 : Union Women and Child Development Minister and People for Animal (PFA) chairperson Maneka Gandhi talked to Churachandpur DC regarding rabies outbreak in the district yesterday.

According to a PFA Manipur statement, a joint team consisting members of PFA Manipur, Harold Dog Training School trainers Thangjam Hollen and Hanjabam Tony and members of God Lovers’ Club will visit Churachandpur to take stock of the current situation tomorrow. The team will be led by PFA Manipur chairperson AK Prem, the statement added.

Condoling the loss of human lives due to dog bites, the statement said that it must not be forgotten the fact that people are responsible for these unfortunate incidents.

It added that people usually neglect timely vaccination of their pet canines.

Sharing the same view with the Director of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, the statement said that the dogs might have got infected from wild animals.

There are reports of dogs being used in hunting in the district, the statement added.

Stating that every dog bite does not necessarily lead to rabies infection and every dog is not rabid, the statement said that mass killing of dogs is not a solution to rabies outbreak while adding that timely vaccination is the only solution.

The statement said that no dog gets infected willingly and no dog turns rabid by choice.

People must not forget the fact that rabid dogs are the same canines which have served their owners loyally all throughout their life without any complaint, demand and condition.

As such people must stop mass slaughtering of dogs due to fear and social hysteria, the statement said and added that food vendors must stop selling dog meat as it is illegal and punishable under the law.

The statement also urged the general public to vaccinate their dogs on time.