Dong Nai tightens rabies prevention: An absence of responsibility from pet owners

Early in the morning of the first day of the week, L.H.T. (Trang Dai Ward, Bien Hoa City) went to the Dong Nai Province Center for Disease Control to get a rabies vaccine. Two days earlier, on his way home, he was chased by a neighbor's dog and got bitten on the leg.

The bite mark on T.'s leg bled, but he received timely first aid. T. tried to give his neighbor, the dog owner, some advice, but he only received indifference and blame. Words were exchanged, and if no one had intervened, the two sides would have inevitably gotten into a fight.

“I want to say a few words so they can control their dogs better. What would happen if it was a child or an elderly person? We cannot accept the owner's excuse, saying that the dog would not bite me if I did not taunt it. That is the ultimate irresponsibility,” T. said in displease.

It is common to see dogs running around the streets of Dong Nai without muzzles. There are regulations on muzzling dogs when going out, but it becomes meaningless if dog owners are unaware of this. One thing to note is that these dogs often suddenly run out onto the road, making it impossible for traffic officers to handle the situation in time, leading to a higher chance of accidents.

In response to such a problem, many measures have been simultaneously implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the People's Committees of districts and cities. Catching stray dogs even becomes a top priority for some localities. Bien Hoa city is expected to deploy specialized teams to catch stray dogs in 30 communes and wards.

During this period, the Bien Hoa dog-catching teams are constantly on the move. Any stray dog ​​found will be surrounded and put in a special vehicle. The owners will have to pay a fine according to regulations to redeem their pet. If the pet is ownerless, it will be discarded or used for research and studies.

Most people unanimously supported this method, but many others were angry and showed opposition. Some dog-catching team members were even threatened with assault when catching stray dogs. They said that this was an inhumane act because their pets had not bitten anyone, so there should be no reason for them to be chased and locked up.

During the trip with the dog-catching team in Trang Dai and Long Binh Tan wards, reporters recorded many individuals protesting, even insulting, filming and taking photos of the dog-catching team to post on social media with the purpose of slandering. Witnessing this scene, many passersby were indignant on their behalf: "Only do you know fear after the dog biting someone to death? Will you be able to bear the consequences?"

Nguyen Ai Vuong, Head of the veterinary department of Long Binh Tan Ward, had to ask the local police to strengthen communication and resolve these unnecessary misunderstandings. Thanks to that, dog owners are aware of their actions, commit not to repeat the offense, and will chain their dogs properly and not let them loose on the streets. “The team’s true purpose is to raise awareness among people about their seemingly harmless habits,” he said.

Since the beginning of 2024, Dong Nai has injected approximately 14,000 doses of rabies vaccine or anti-rabies serum into people. It is not only a matter of psychological trauma, people bitten by dogs also have to spend a lot of money on vaccination and treatment. If the pet has rabies, the person bitten or scratched is at risk of death or, less seriously, complications of encephalitis.

As per regulations, if a pet is left unattended and causes an accident to another person, the owner of that pet will be subject to administrative penalties, and compensation for damages, and may even be criminally prosecuted, depending on the severity. If the owner lets a dog roam, he or she will be fined from VND 300,000 to 500,000. If the dog is not muzzled or leashed, the fine is from VND 1 to 2 million. If the dog bites someone to death, the pet owner may be prosecuted for involuntary manslaughter.