Dog owner disappointed over late notification in rabies case

TAIPING: The owner of a dog which died after it was infected with rabies in Kuala Sepetang here has expressed disappointment with the Perak Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) over the delay in notifying her pet's cause of death.
The 40-year-old woman, who wanted to be identified only as Ooi said she and family members had only found out about the matter from a friend who watched a television news programme.
"The department should have informed me personally before going to the media because that (the DVS action) resulted in me and family members being harassed by strangers who had been enquiring about the matter.
"Yesterday, a staff from the department called to say they would come to my house today, to inform me about it," she told reporters in Kuala Sepetang here today.
Ooi also said she found it weird when none of the state DVS staff who came to her house had informed her about her dog's cause of death but instead, were just checking the house perimeter.
"I feel my dog might have been attacked by another other dog (s) as it had shown no sign of having any kind of disease," she said.
Ooi's dog died last Thursday, eight days after biting her daughter and niece, aged 11 and 12.
She said the children were now in the pink of health and had been attending school beginning today.
Yesterday, Perak Health, Public Transport, Non-Muslim Affairs, National Integration and Kampung Baru Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon confirmed the two girls who were bitten by the dog on July 4, were free of rabies symptom. — Bernama