Kupang – The policy of district governments in Flores and Lembata Islands to eliminate all dogs in every household is against the local tradition, culture, and habit. Dogs are very close to the everyday life of the people and are part of the family. It is very difficult to remove dogs altogether.

Dogs serve as ‘friends’ for every family member. Dogs are believed to be the embodiment of ancestral spirits; therefore they must be treated fairly and responsibly. Killing dogs is no different from breaking the connecting chain between live family members and their ancestors.

Director of Yayasan Peduli Sesama (Sanlima) NTT, Isidorus Kopong Udak, on Tuesday (13/9/2011) said controlling rabies in Flores and Lembata should not be carried out by killing all the dogs on the island. Besides, dogs are not the only animal host for rabies, there are still monkeys, bats, and cats.

“What the government should focus on is giving as much dog vaccination as possible. Pet dogs should be routinely vaccinated. If the number of animal health officers is limited, dog owners could be trained,” said Kopong.

Rabies should be eradicated because is causing serious concern for the people of Flores. Rabid dogs are like terrorists which first seem docile and friendly, but then suddenly one day bite and kill their masters. Therefore serious attention is needed from the government by allocating budget for routine vaccination. (Kornelis Kewa Ama Khayam | Robert Adhi Ksp)

Source : Kompas