- receives backing from NWDC
- rabies death toll of children rises to three
- stray cats and dogs will be destroyed from next week Thursday
- roaming pigs to be collected and confined at council by-law kraals
- exercise undertaken to control the spread of rabies in the district
The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) will finally embark on a year-long pet culling campaign in Maun in an effort to control the escalating spread of rabies.
The DVS had previously halted the exercise after concern from groups, including the Maun Animal Welfare Society (MAWS), which criticised the shift towards culling stray dogs rather than focusing on disease prevention. However, the department has since consulted with relevant stakeholders and received backing from the North West District Council (NWDC) to proceed.
NWDC Chairperson, Itumeleng Kelebetseng, confirmed that veterinary officials have been authorized to conduct the exercise over the next year. He indicated that dog owners have been given seven days to vaccinate their pets and ensure they are yarded or leashed. After this deadline, the department will begin to eliminate all unvaccinated and stray pets, including dogs and cats commencing from Thursday next week.
Additionally, pigs found roaming freely in the streets of Maun be collected and confined at council by-law kraals for a specified period. Owners of pigs have since been given 30days notice effective next Wednesday until May 15th to remove pigs from residential areas and relocate them to designated farming areas, in strict compliance with Council bye-laws.
The DVS explained that all mammals can contract and spread rabies, posing a serious public health threat to communities.
Authorities are moving to intensify rabies control measures as cases continue to rise and claim lives. Three children, all under the age of 10, have died after contracting rabies from dog bites, while approximately 450 people have reportedly been attacked by roaming dogs around Maun.
Kelebetseng revealed that around 50 cases of rabies have been reported, raising the alarm over a growing public health crisis. He noted that a report has been made to the Ministry to declare a rabies outbreak in Maun, as even a single confirmed case of the dangerous disease is sufficient to declare an outbreak.
Amid the increasing risks, Kelebetseng mentioned a shortage of vaccines, revealing that current stock can only treat 36 people. He emphasised the high cost of treatment, which involves a series of four doses per individual.
Furthermore, the chairperson complained that the current population of 15,000 dogs in the district far exceeds the carrying capacity of 7,000, expressing concern that these uncontrolled numbers contribute to the spread of the virus.
Meanwhile, the DVS has continued its pet vaccination campaign in Maun, which began in early February. Principal Veterinary Officer for the North West District, Dr. Reinten Mafonko, clarified that their main office in Maun remains open for vaccinations on a weekly basis throughout the year.
“People are also encouraged to vaccinate in the outskirts of Maun, such as in Komana, Toteng, and Kareng; they don’t have to wait for the formal campaign,” he emphasised.
Other organisations, including the Maun Animal Welfare Society (MAWS), are conducting separate rabies vaccination campaigns across the district. MAWS clinic manager, Carmen Garcia, stated that through their campaign, they are trying to prevent further fatalities and hope to mitigate the need for the department’s earmarked culling.
