Reports have broken of yet another dog cull in Tabanan, Bali in broad daylight, conducted by local authorities.
Starting from 7:30 am, UPTD (Regional Executive Technical Unit) officers aided by village leaders and pecalang eliminated 28 dogs in Desa Pakraman Ngis, Desa Dinas Jegu, according to Tribun Bali.
Jegu Village leader I Made Edy Wirawan said a letter was circulated to residents about the scheduled dog culling warning people to keep their pet dogs inside at the time, but it appears not everyone got the memo.
A 13-year-old said he was said because his two pet dogs were killed.
“I’m sad Rojer and Beno were eliminated,” I Gusti Agung Kade Dipa Primadana told Tribun.
When asked whether his parents secured the dogs, the young teen apparently showed a lack of understanding and mentioned that his dogs had been fully vaccinated.
Wirawan mentioned that while there’s been some controversy in the community over dog culling, they are doing this in the name of safety, namely for the eradication of rabies.
He added that since 2014, Jegu Village has seen a number of rabies cases from dog bites: seven cases in 2014, eight cases in 2015, and two cases thus far in 2016.
In addition to this controversial culling of dogs out on the streets, Wirawan said authorities are also working on vaccinating people’s pet dogs.
If only they would put their focus on the more humane approach of mass vaccinations and sterilization, rather than needlessly killing dogs, like Rojer and Beno, who are already vaccinated.
