Bali Expat Forum - Bali Travel Forum

[SG]

“in capturing street dogs, the public must help the teams working in the field. Pastika said: "The people can directly take steps to kill street dogs. If this is only done by government team, clearly we'll be late in handling the problem.”

If Pastika said this he should be culled himself, at least politically. What sort of man gives groups of 'people' the authority to go around randomly killing animals, especially given the way Bali treats animals.

I've far more faith in Daniel's analysis of the situation than the authorities here on balance.

[Roy]

Oddly, I can't find a single news item on this today. Nothing in the Jakarta Post, nothing in The Bali Post, nothing on the radio...so far anyway.

[toucan]

I received an sms last night saying that at least 3 dogs had been killed on Kuta Beach, none of them showed any signs of rabies - these dogs were well known to those who spend time at the beach each day, who is responsible is not known. I would definitely recommend keeping pets at home for the time being. I recall the last bout of culling around the tourist spots resulted in several people's pets being poisoned and dying very quickly.

[SG]

Oddly, I can't find a single news item on this today. Nothing in the Jakarta Post, nothing in The Bali Post, nothing on the radio...so far anyway.

Maybe this is why

Local newspapers have previously reported that three people living in Southern Kuta died after bitten by dogs. However local officials in Badung as well as in Sanglah General Hospital denied relationship between their deaths and rabies. Whilst the symptom was admitted as close to rabies, brain infections have been concluded.The delay in rabies has once complainef by a member of Badung House of Representatives Diesel Astawan. The information has somehow reached the central government which immediately instructed authorities in Bali to conduct a check, which resulted in negative conclusion, no evidence of rabies found.

The joint force including Veterinary Office of Bali, Veterinary Office of Badung, and Yudhistira Foundation had field assessment in Ungasan area under the command of Bali Veterinary Office I.B. Raka. At Banjar Sari Karya of Ungasan village the team identified six cases of human bitten by the dogs, with the last case happened back in November 13th 2008. The joint team which previously planned to take the dog for observation in their office has cancelled the plan and have the owner a cage for on-spot observation.

Dog attack has also been happened at Banjar Bakung Sari of Balangan village, but no death resulted. Suspicion arose when the dog died a few days afterward. Meanwhile a resident of Banjar Giri Dharma of Ungasan village died on Sunday (November 24th) after one night hospitalization in Sanglah General Hospital. Suspic
Sementara itu, seorang warga Banjar Giri Dharma Ungasan, Kuta Selatan meninggal, Minggu (BP, 24/11) sekitar pukul 15.00 wita setelah sempat mendapatkan perawatan selama semalam di RS Sanglah. He was suspected for rabies as he had been bitten by dog one month before being hospitalized. Five days before another residents has has also been bitten by dog and died afterward.

With regard to their deaths officials of the hospital refused rabies infection. Head of Emergency Unit of Sanglah General Hospital, dr. Kuning Atmadjaya, Sp.B. said that they are suspected for rabies at first considering their background. “However blood tests have proven that there were no rabies infection,” said Kuning

Perhaps they should've asked Daniel!

[mimpimanis]

And how many healthy dogs have been culled???

Will be there be an announcement to say the culling should stop???

[Roy]

And how many healthy dogs have been culled???

Let's hope not many.

So then, Bali remains rabies free. That should be front page news in The Bali Post tomorrow. As Mimpi says, let's hope that news gets out pronto!

[tintin]

Thinking a minute beyond the present Bali "emergency" regarding the possible presence of rabies among the Bali dog population, just consider the gut reaction of the supreme leader, the Governor of Bali, who is alleged to have said,

“in capturing street dogs, the public must help the teams working in the field. Pastika said: "The people can directly take steps to kill street dogs. If this is only done by government team, clearly we'll be late in handling the problem.

Is this the reaction one would hope for from a Governor, shooting from the hip? Granted the Governor, an expert criminologist, is not required to also be a biological expert, but he has advisors who could direct him to experts in that field. So, what about consulting with them before issuing such a ridiculous and dangerous directive?

So, just think what would happen if suddenly the bird flue virus was able to be transmitted between humans. How would the so-called leaders react? Scary, to say the least. The truth of the matter is that it's actually the blind leading the blinds.

[Roy]

Daniel, that specific quote was taken from the Jawa Post article but it was not picked up by The Bali Post. The accuracy of the quote is questionable, and also in question is whether or not Governor Pastika ever ordered the culling of all stray street dogs in all of Bali.

Our Bali Post for today should be delivered within the hour, and hopefully there will be something more on these recent “events.” Cheers!

[SG]

The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing it seems:

In response to what is feared to be a rabies outbreak in Bali, several authorities and health organizations expressed their readiness Monday to carry out several measures designed to curb the spread of the disease.

Their willingness was declared at a coordination meeting held at the Bali Health Agency chaired by Tjandra Yoga Aditama, the director general of disease control and environmental health at the Health Ministry.

The meeting was attended by officials from regency animal husbandry agencies, the Bali Health Agency, police, tourism offices, community health centers, state-run Sanglah Hospital and other related institutions.

The Bali provincial administration has declared a condition of extraordinary occurrence following the confirmation that a brain sample from a dog in Kedonganan, South Kuta, tested positive to rabies.

"This is an extraordinary occurrence or an emergency situation. We have to quickly work to restore Bali as a rabies-free area," said Dewa Ketut Oka, head of the Bali Health Agency.

However, one only one brain sample of one dog tested positive, Oka said. The results of laboratory tests on the four people who died in Ungasan village, Uluwatu, recently after being bitten by stray dogs were not available yet.

[SG]

And confirmation that Pastika needs his head read, and perhaps should think before he speaks.

"The residents can just go ahead by taking the initiative to kill stray dogs. If the mass dog culling relied only on administration officers, it would take too long to get rid of," said Pastika at an open house session with the Balinese people.

The existence of stray dogs along the streets, he said, had sped up the spread of the deadly rabies virus.

Laboratory tests showed the four -- two elderly and two children -- died because of dog bites, but it was still unclear whether they died because of rabies.

"But there is an indication, the four died because of bites by rabies-infected dogs. So we have to respond to it as quickly as possible to curb its spread," Pastika said, adding rabies could only be controlled by killing the stray dogs.

In other words: we don't know for sure but lets raise the panic level. George Bush should've hired the man.

[Roy]

It’s amazing how much disparate information is going around about this! In other words, is their rabies on Bali, or isn’t there…has this culling been ordered on a wide scale, a limited scale, or at all, and to what extent?

In the meantime, one wonders just how many dogs out there are needlessly being put down?

Eri took our Bali Post to with her when driving the boys to school, so I don’t know what, if anything has been reported there.

Simon, I guess we can continue to count on you to post whatever you are hearing...reading, or seeing for yourself...BUT, Bert, what's going on North...or anyone else...what's going on in your neck of the woods?

[tintin]

Roy,

I agree with your wait-and-see attitude, and this is precicely why I wrote

(Governor Pastika)...is alleged to have said...

allowing for the fact that the Governor may have never suggested such a thing, although I proceeded with my point as if he had done so. (Wouldn't you call this "lawgistics?").

[Bert Vierstra]

BUT, Bert, what's going on North...or anyone else...what's going on in your neck of the woods?

Haven't heard or seen anything in the North.

Was in Jimbaran however, and heard how they killed a few dogs there on the beach, by a knock on the head, and injection to complete the job.

[Roy]

Bert, that is good news...the "up North" news that is.

Daniel, In a way, regardless of whether or not he actually said this, and assuming that his office is aware of the confusion, one would think (rightfully so) that his office would jump on getting this lack of clarity made clear and pronto! Personally, I am finding that most frustrating of all.

Good grief! Does Bali have rabies now or not?? Putting the dogs aside for a quick second, the need for this to be definitively answered is obvious!

BTW, I meant to compliment you earlier on your excellent job explaining canine rabies in such an understandable and clear method. That was really well done, and sorely needed too! Cheers!

[SG]

So to sum it up, we have one group, fairly reliable, I'd say, saying that the tests are negative. Another saying:

The Bali provincial administration has declared a condition of extraordinary occurrence following the confirmation that a brain sample from a dog in Kedonganan, South Kuta, tested positive to rabies.

When the first group, who are the ones doing the testing, are saying:

With regard to their deaths officials of the hospital refused rabies infection. Head of Emergency Unit of Sanglah General Hospital, dr. Kuning Atmadjaya, Sp.B. said that they are suspected for rabies at first considering their background. “However blood tests have proven that there were no rabies infection,” said Kuning

And elsewhere, Dr Dharma, who just happens to own a vet clinic which, at a price, will inoculate dogs, confirming it.

And the governor, who should know much better, without confirmation, inciting the public to kill stray dogs.

This is truly nuts and would be laughable if dogs were not dying, likely ('with a knock on the head') painfully without, right now, good reason.

Considering how important this is, there is a level of disfunctionality, in this, at government level, right to the top, which astounds me.

[Roy]

I agree 100% Simon…this is embarrassing (or should be) to the Provincial government…if only to establish the truth, once and for all, to the main question, that being, is Bali still rabies free, or not?

I know one very major tour operator who has cancelled all tours to Pura Ulu Watu. While that alone presents no economic calamity, the longer this issue remains unclear, the more doubt will be raised when the final answer is given.