2009 Shaanxi dog-free zone

The 2009 Shanxi dog-free zone is a goal by the government of Shanxi Province in north central People's Republic of China (PRC) to begin killing large number of dogs as part of a campaign to stop the spread of rabies in the region via stray dogs attacking humans.[1]

History

In 2006 a similar destruction of 50,000 dogs in Mouding county, Yunnan Province in south central China occurred after three deaths from rabies.[2][3] This was followed a couple of weeks later by another mass slaughter in Jining, Shandong province in western China after 16 people died from rabies.[4] China uses both the compulsory vaccination and registration of pets and the killing of strays as instruments in rabies control.[5][6] Dogs, except in cages for sale as meat, are not allowed in a number of urban areas and strays are killed.[5][6][7] World Health Organization reports attribute some part of a rise in rabies in China in the 1980s to economic reforms which saw an increase in dog populations in rural areas, and later in the 1990s to an increase in the demand for dog meat and to problems with rabies vaccine quality.[7] The 1980s increase was dealt with primarily with a large-scale vaccination campaign in rural areas where dog rabies is endemic, but some dog slaughters also took place.[7] Outbreaks in Beijing in the early to mid-1990s were also dealt with by ordering strike teams to capture and kill dogs, including pets, making this 2006 governmental killing of dogs a single incident among a number of similar mass killings.[3][7] The World Health Organization also recommends a ban on bringing dog meat from rural to urban areas.[7]

Goal

In 2009 Yang County is striving to be the first county nationally in the PRC to have no dogs.[8][9] The government ordered all dogs within a radius range of 3206 square kilometres to be killed, including registered and vaccinated dogs.[8] In a statement to China Daily, Dang Zhengqing stated this was the only way they could stop the spread of rabies.[10]

Preventative measures

People who are already pet owners were advised to register their dogs and vaccinate them. These vaccinations were offered for free.[1][10] Stray and wild dogs within the region were also put down by the government.[10] It was reported that over 20,000 dogs had been killed in the city of Hanzhong alone.[10] Free leashes were also provided to allow citizens to control their dogs.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 China press. "China press." 无异于“血腥屠杀”陕西洋县屠狗万余成“无犬县”. Retrieved on 2009-05-31.
  2. ↑ Roberts, Joel (August 1, 2006). "China Slaughters 50,000 Dogs: Outrage Over 5-Day Massacre Of Dogs In SW China Anti-Rabies Crackdown". CBS News. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
  3. 1 2 Associated Press (2008-08-07). "Killing of Chinese dogs prompts anguish, relief: Tens of thousands of canines killed to combat rabies outbreak". msnbc.com. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
  4. ↑ Watts, Jonathan (2006-08-04). "China rabies outbreak triggers second dog cull". Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
  5. 1 2 Stafford, Kevin (2007). The Welfare of Dogs. Springer-Verlag New York, LLC. ISBN 978-1-4020-6144-8.
  6. 1 2 Kureishi, A.; L.Z. Xu; H. Wu; H.G. Stiver (1992). "Rabies in China: recommendations for control". Bulletin of the World Health Organization. World Health Organization. 70 (4): 443–450. PMC 2393387Freely accessible. PMID 1394776.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Shu-Xian, Zu (2001). "Epidemiology of rabies and control of dog rabies in China". Rabies Control in Asia: Fourth International Symposium on Rabies Control in Asia. World Health Organization. pp. 88–90.
  8. 1 2 Sina.com.tw "Sina.com.tw." 陝西洋縣全城屠狗成全國首個無犬縣. Retrieved on 2009-05-31.
  9. ↑ Huanbohai news. "Huanbohai news.." 陝西洋縣全城屠狗成全國首個無犬縣. Retrieved on 2009-06-03.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Juan, Shan (June 2, 2009). "Thousands of dogs killed to take bite out of rabies". ChinaDaily. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
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