XN000022-1992-01-12 — Page 2

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 1992

SPECIAL ANTI-RABIES INOCULATION DRIVE IN FISHING PORTS

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THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT WILL LAUNCH A SPECIAL DOG INOCULATION DRIVE IN FISHING PORTS LATER THIS MONTH THAT FISHERMEN CAN HAVE THEIR DOGS IMMUNISED AGAINST RABIES.

IS

THE DRIVE, A REGULAR EXERCISE LAUNCHED SINCE 1980, SPECIALLY TIMED TO SUIT THE CONVENIENCE OF FISHERMEN, MOST OF WHOM WILL BE COMING BACK FROM SEA THESE FEW WEEKS TO CELEBRATE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR.

STARTING FROM JANUARY 16, THE DEPARTMENT'S MOBILE INOCULATION TEAMS WILL VISIT THE TERRITORY'S SEVEN FISHING PORTS MAKE BOAT-TO-BOAT VISITS BETWEEN 10 AM TO 4 PM DAILY.

THE EIGHT-DAY OPERATION WILL END ON JANUARY 28.

DOG

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MUN

TSAI 20 AND 21:

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THE TEAMS WILL VISIT THE FISHING PORTS IN SAM JANUARY 16 AND 17, ABERDEEN AND SHA TAU KOK ON JANUARY SHAU KEI WAN AND CASTLE PEAK BAY ON JANUARY 22 AND 23: CHEUNG CHAU AND SAI KUNG ON JANUARY 27 AND 28.

K.K. LIU, SAID CONTINUING

ACTING SENIOR VETERINARY OFFICER (HEALTH), DR TODAY (SUNDAY) THE DRIVE IS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO PREVENT THE OUTBREAK OF RABIES IN HONG KONG.

"THE TERRITORY REGAINED THE RABIES-FREE AREA STATUS IN JULY 1989 BY HAVING SUCCESSFULLY PREVENT THE OUTBREAK OF ANY INDIGENOUS RABIES CASE IN THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS, HE NOTED.

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NEVERTHELESS, HE STRESSED THAT RABIES IS A DEADLY DISEASE TRANSMISSIBLE FROM ANIMALS TO HUMAN. DOGS ON FISHING VESSELS ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE BECAUSE OF THEIR POSSIBLE CONTACTS WITH OTHER ANIMALS OUTSIDE HONG KONG.

"IT IS THEREFORE IMPORTANT THAT FISHERMEN'S DOGS ARE INOCULATED AGAINST THE DISEASE AT LEAST EVERY THREE YEARS TO KEEP UP THEIR IMMUNITY, DR LIU ADDED.

HE URGED FISHERMEN WHO OWN DOGS TO MAKE FULL USE OF THE SPECIAL INOCULATION SERVICE.

A TOTAL OF 4,362 INOCULATIONS HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO DOGS OWNED BY FISHERMEN DURING SIMILAR ANTI-RABIES INOCULATION DRIVES IN THE PAST YEARS.

UNDER THE DOGS AND CATS ORDINANCE, ALL DOGS OVER FIVE MONTHS OLD ARE REQUIRED TO BE LICENSED AND INOCULATED AGAINST RABIES.

FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RENDER THE OWNER LIABLE ΤΟ A MAXIMUM FINE OF $5,000 AND SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT.

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