Get vaccination as a precaution, pet owners told

PETALING JAYA: While the Veterinary Services Department has not made rabies vaccination compulsory, veterinarians advise pet owners to do so as a precaution.

Malaysian Small Animal Veteri­nary Association president Dr Amilan Sivagurunathan said it was up to individual owners to decide.

“The need for vaccination is on a case-by-case basis and also depends on the environment where pets are kept,” he said.

Dr Amilan said there was a good chance that a dog kept indoors or in the house compound might not need vaccination compared to one that roamed and mixed freely with other animals.

Dr Danny Soon, who runs a veterinary clinic in Klang, expects some worried pet owners to seek his advice soon.

Generally, he said, pet owners would be told to vaccinate if rabies was detected in their locality.

“This was what happened two years ago when rabies was detected in Penang,” he said.

Dr Soon said the vaccine cost between RM80 and RM100.

Wayne Heng, a dog breeder in Damansara Jaya here, said there was low awareness among pet owners who assumed Malaysia was rabies-free, as the last case was detected in 2015 in northern Malaysia.

“I usually educate my customers on rabies and how to take precautions,” he said.

Fashiela Saifullezan, who sells imported cats, said she made sure both her cats and staff were vaccinated against rabies.

“We import cats and there are mandatory medical procedures to follow,” said the owner of Kitty Cats Malaysia.