(CN) Forum on scientific, effective and humane rabies control in China

[Guest guest]

Following another mass culling of dogs as a response to a human rabies

outbreak, senior officials and experts gather on June 28th in Beijing to

discuss more effective alternatives to eliminate the disease. China is

said to have one of the highest number of human rabies in the world.

Rabies is a disease that can be controlled - other countries in the

world have successfully dealt with rabies. However, the current method

of dealing with this disease, by killing thousands of dogs as a response to

human rabies cases, is very unlikely to have any major impact on the number of

deaths in the long term.

 

The China Medical Foundation, China Medical Rescue Association, Capital Animal

Welfare Association and ACTAsia for Animals have therefore organised a forum of

experts to discuss the most scientific and humane options of rabies prevention

and control, including practical guidelines for implementing these options in

different parts of the country. Chu,

Peikang, The Chairman of China Medical Foundation said: " This is the

first joint effort made by medical and animal protection non-profit

organizations to discuss the rabies problem and humane solutions between

the experts in China. " Experts include authorities from the Veterinary

Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Centre for Animal Disease

Control (CADC), officials from regional animal disease control centres,

academics from related fields and animal welfare groups.

 

When human deaths from rabies are reported local authorities in some

parts of the country react with panic and conduct a mass culling of

thousands of dogs. This killing is often indiscriminate, targeting not

only unvaccinated strays but also owned, vaccinated and healthy dogs.

Dr. Guo Peng, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Shandong University

criticized: " The Hanzhong mass culling is unethical - a human-centric

approach should not be become an excuse for killing non-human animals " .

Humane, internationally acceptable methods of catching and killing dogs

have not been used; authorities beat or strangle these animals to death

and even encourage local residents to do so. This often causes outrage

from pet owners and members of the public, and promotes a culture of

violence. Qin Xiao Na, the Director of Capital Animal Welfare

Association (CAWA) pointed out that " apart from the huge amounts of

suffering created for the animals involved, this is unacceptable because

of the emotional suffering for pet owners and other members of the

public, including children, who have to witness this brutal massacre on

the streets. " It is also an ineffective solution - scientific evidence

from international experts shows that such indiscriminate killing will

not result in rabies being eliminated. Isobel Zhang, the China Manager

of ACTAsia for Animals, stated that " Successful programmes have used a

two-pronged approach: mass vaccination of dogs, and availability and

awareness of prompt post exposure treatment for humans. A humane rabies

control programme in China should be adopted and recognised by the

authorities at central and regional levels. "

 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends mass vaccination of dogs

as " the most effective method of controlling canine rabies " , and states

that " there is no evidence that removal of dogs alone has ever had a

significant impact on dog population densities or the spread of rabies " .

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) says that " animal

vaccination remains the method of choice to control and eradicate

rabies " . To prevent rabies effectively, at least 70% of the canine

population needs to be vaccinated according to both the WHO and the

Alliance for Rabies Control. The coverage in China as estimated in 2007

is less than 10%.

 

Dr. Lu Jiahai from the University of Sun Yat-Sen claimed that " the

reasons for a high incidence of rabies cases in China include the lack

of coordination between different government departments, low animal

vaccination rate, the failure of vaccination quality and lack of

knowledge on necessary actions after dog bites. More public awareness

campaigns should be carried out and the government should recognise the

importance of public awareness, also provide free rabies vaccinations

for humans. "

 

 

 

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Forum Chairperson

 

Cao Baoyin, Senior Editor and Commenter of Beijing News (Xinjin Bao)

 

 

 

Special Guests

 

* Bai Jiefu (Former President of Beijing People's Political

Consultative Conference; Former Deputy Mayor of Beijing) * Li

Zhonghao (Secretary-General of China Medical Rescue Association) *

Zhu Peikang (Council Chairman of China Medical Foundation) * Shi

Bingzhong (Secretary-General of China Medical Foundation)

 

 

 

Panel speakers

 

* Jia You Lin (Senior Veterinarian of China, Director of Veterinary

Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture) * Tan Qing, Researcher of China

Centre for Disease Control (CDC), Ministry of Agriculture * Zu

Shuxian, Epidemiologist and medical professor of An Huei University

* Jin Dapeng, Chairman of Beijing Medical Association, former Director

of Beijing Health Bureau) * Ran Tong, Lawyer, SiChuan Yin Ji Law

Firm & Qi Ming Small Animal Protection Representative * Guo Peng,

Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Shan Dong University * Zhang

Yuan Yuan, ACTAsia for Animals, China Manager * Jia You Lin (Senior

Veterinarian of China, Director of Veterinary Bureau, Ministry of

Agriculture) * Zhu Junjie, Beijing's Animal Husbandry and Veterinary

General Station * Lu Jiahai, Professor of Epidemiology, Public

Health Department, China Chong Shan University * Ba Xiao Rong, Vice of Hunan Province Disease Prevention and Control Centre *

Qin Xiaona, Director of Capital Animal Welfare Association * Sun

Jiang, Professor of Law, Xibei Politics University, Shanxi Province *

Zhu Peikang (Council Chairman of China Medical Foundation)

 

Organisers

 

* China Medical Foundation * China Medical Rescue Association

* Capital Animal Welfare Association * ACTAsia for Animals

 

 

 

Sponsors

 

* ACTAsia for Animals * Humane Society International