Pet tax no fix for rabies

Pet tax no fix for rabies

On March 13, in a bid to calm public fears about the ongoing spread of rabies in the country, the Livestock Department assured people the problem was very much under control. It is not. Less than a week later, a 14-year-old girl in Buri Ram tragically died after being infected by the deadly virus she contracted after being scratched by the family’s pet dog.

Needless to say, public confidence in the state’s handling of the outbreak has taken an enormous hit. This is a pity.

The latest outbreak has killed off the Public Health Ministry’s dream, announced in 2017, of turning Thailand into a “rabies-free” country by 2020. Now the battle has returned to square one. Attempts by some officials to downplay the severity of the issue by saying that each rabies zone covers just a small area is not good enough.

As the debate goes on, there have been conflicting accounts from different agencies which suggest significant inefficiencies, irregularities and possible corruption that has only made the situation worse.

As efforts are made to try to solve the problem, the permanent secretary of public health Dr Jedsada Chokdamrongsuk suggested a tax on pets which triggered a public outcry. Many objected to the proposed tax, saying it would encourage people to abandon their pets. If that is the case, it will mean the number of strays, which is already high, will rise further.

Fierce criticism prompted the permanent secretary to make a U-turn, saying the proposed tax, which primarily aims to single out committed pet lovers, was his idea and, like in some Western countries, such a tax is not applied to every pet, but mostly for the third animal and up. However, the comments only reflect how much the state is out of touch with reality. At the same time, the mass killings of strays is under way which has fanned public anger.

The Livestock Department has defended the killings, which took place this week at a temple in the South in a declared outbreak zone, and previously occurred at a village in the northern province of Chiang Rai. It called them a “necessary step” in control measures. However, the agency has done little, if anything, to clarify irregularities that may have been the cause of the problem.

In particular, these irregularities pertain to the people involved in the distribution of fake or sub-standard rabies vaccines. They also involve a suspected purchasing monopoly run by the wife of a former livestock official.

Finally, the Office of the Auditor-General issued an order in late 2014 prohibiting local administrative agencies from buying rabies vaccines.

It has since been determined the agency was wrong. The strict order suppressing the procurement of vaccines came despite an agreement between the Livestock Department and local agencies that allowed agencies to do the job in their jurisdiction.

Most local agencies have decided not to proceed with vaccine purchases or mass vaccinations in their areas for fear of punishment even though the state auditor’s order has been revoked.

A lack of vaccinations in those localities is said to have caused the recent outbreak. On top of that, the case shows a lack of law enforcement in accordance with the anti-animal cruelty law that came into effect in 2014.

Needless to say, a thorough probe into the allegations is needed to clear up public doubts. Without such an investigation, rumours of a cover-up will gain credence.

Rabies has also been spreading among pets, suggesting a lack of awareness by owners.

A practical action plan is needed, as well as an overhaul of how the state handles the disease. This would pave the way for greater participation by animal rights groups and people in virus-hit areas.

The Livestock Department said it can only provide 1 million free rabies vaccines a year while the number of strays stands at 10 million. It will be a race against time to get the vaccinations done.

Unless these public doubts are cleared up, the pet tax idea should be buried for good.

Editorial

Bangkok Post editorial column

These editorials represent Bangkok Post thoughts about current issues and situations.

Email : anchaleek@bangkokpost.co.th

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