THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1980
PENALTIES FOR HINDERING DOG CONTROL TEAMS
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THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT TODAY WARNED DOG-OWNERS IN THE RABIES INFECTED AREA NOT TO HINDER THE DEPARTMENT IN ITS DOG CONTROL OPERATIONS AND TO CO-OPERATE BY SURRENDERING THEIR UNINOCULATED DOGS. FAILURE TO SURRENDER DOGS COULD RENDER THE OWNER LIABLE TO A FINE OF $1 000 AND SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT.
THE WARNING CAME IN THE MIDST OF A MAJOR ANTI-RABIES INOCULATION AND DOG CATCHING CAMPAIGN WHEN MORE THAN 60 000 DOGS HAVE BEEN INOCULATED AGAINST RABIES AND ANOTHER 16 000 DOGS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT SINCE THE START OF THE YEAR MORE THAN 1 000 CASES OF UNLICENSED AND UNCONTROLLED DOGS CAME BEFORE THE COURTS WHICH RESULTED IN FINES TOTALLING $76 600.
HE SAID THAT DURING OCTOBER THERE WERE 192 CASES BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURTS OF WHICH 64 OWNERS OF UNLICENSED AND UNINOCULATED DOGS AND 84 OWNERS OF UNCONTROLLED DOGS WERE CONVICTED AND FINED A TOTAL OF $13 785.
THE SPOKESMAN QUOTED A RECENT CASE IN FANLING MAGISTRACY IN WHICH A 75 YEAR-OLD WOMAN WAS FINED $900 FOR KEEPING A DOG WITHOUT A LICENCE AND FOR FAILING TO KEEP A DOG UNDER PROPER CONTROL.
+ IT IS IMPERATIVE, SAID THE SPOKESMAN, THAT ALL UNINOCULATED DOGS INSIDE THE INFECTED AREA MUST BE SURRENDERED TO THE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS FOR THE SAFETY OF THE FAMILIES IN THE DWELLING WHERE THE DOG LIVES.
+ IT IS TOO LATE NOW FOR DOGS INSIDE THE INFECTED AREA TO BE INOCULATED THE DISEASE COULD HAVE ALREADY REACHED THESE ANIMALS AND THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT FURTHER HUMAN DEATH CAUSED BY THEIR BITE IS TO SURRENDER THE HOUSEHOLD DOGS TO THE DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY WILL BE HUMANELY DESTROYED. EVERY UNINOCULATED DOG IN THE INFECTED AREA IS A POTENTIAL RABIES RISK, HE SAID.
HE ADDED THAT POLICE WERE ASSISTING DOG CONTROL UNITS IN HOUSE-TO-HOUSE SEARCHES FOR UNINOCULATED DOGS IN THE INFECTED AREA, AND ANY OWNER RESISTING SEARCHES IS LIABLE TO PROSECUTION.