All cats and dogs in Sarpang are being sterilised as part of the effort to prevent any potential outbreak and transform the Gelephu Mindfulness City into a rabies-free zone. According to a survey conducted by the livestock office in September last year, Sarpang recorded around 1,800 pet dogs and 3,600 cats. In 2023, during the National Accelerated Dog Population Management and Rabies Control Programme, more than 3,000 free-roaming dogs were sterilised in the district.
According to officials, the current programme, National Accelerated Dog Population Management and Rabies Control Programme 2.0 will focus on cat sterilisation along with the pet dogs which were not sterilised during the earlier sterilisation programme.
Livestock officials said cats can transmit rabies to humans and it is important for the cats to be vaccinated for rabies and sterilised to control the population.
Dr Lungten, Head of Disease Control for Animal Health in the Department of Livestock said “The programme is specifically for the sterilization of cats. According to the survey that we have conducted, there are around 3,600 cats. Cats can transmit rabies to humans and it is risky. Sterilisation is important to control the population.”
He added that through such programmes, they plan to make Gelephu Mindfulness City a rabies-free zone with no free-roaming dogs.
It is also to ensure that pet owners take responsibility as their pets have digital identification.
“If the pet owners do not take care of their pets, there is a clause stating that they can be penalised. Furthermore, for pet owners, they will have to compulsorily register and microchip their pets. If a pet is found to be wandering freely, we can trace the owner’s details through the microchip.”
The programme is initiated by the livestock department in collaboration with DeSuup and the local government. The weeklong programme will end on Monday.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Tshering Zam
