Kuching South mayor: Yearly dog licensing starting next year for rabies control

KUCHING (Nov 12): Kuching South City Council (MBKS) will be streamlining its dog licensing policy to an annual renewal system, said mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng.

He asserted that the policy is expected to take effect next year.

“Usually, for the dog licence, you can pay for three years; of course, you cannot just vaccinate (your dogs) once for three years.

“So, we are going to change the policy, making it on a yearly basis,” he told reporters when met at the Anti-Rabies, Vaccination, Licensing, Microchipping and Subsidised Neutering programme held at MBKS Community Hall here yesterday.

With the change in the dog licensing policy, Wee expressed hope that such a policy will help reduce the number of rabies cases among dogs.

The policy change also aligns with the yearly rabies vaccination initiative, he said.

“Of course, we also need some guidelines from the Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) before implementing this,” he added.

Commenting on the event, Wee said this was the second time the council had held it this year, with the first one held in July.

The event was part of a comprehensive initiative by MBKS aimed at safeguarding the health and well-being of dogs in order to help prevent the spread of rabies within its jurisdiction, he added.

Among those present at the event was SSPCA president Datin Dona Drury-Wee.