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Chinese society is arguing about the merits of the mass slaughter of dogs. After two local governments ordered mass killings of dogs following a rabies outbreak, a heated debate is underway about whether such an approach is the only way to curb the spread of rabies.

The local government of Mouding County, in southwest China's Yunnan Province, killed 54,429 dogs from July 25 to 30 after discovering 357 locals had been bitten by dogs this year and that three had died of rabies.

The local government of Jining city, in east China's Shandong Province, did the same, after the city's 9 counties and districts and 14 townships reported several outbreaks of rabies that have claimed several lives.

Dog lovers consider the local governments' actions cruel.

"If these dogs weren't vaccinated, that's people's fault and dogs should not be made to pay for human negligence," said Tang Bing, a tourism official and dog lover.

"The mass slaughter of dog is cold-blooded. Governments should detect dogs with rabies and put them down in a humane manner," said Stone Chen, a 22-year-old journalist who has kept dogs for years.

On April 3, 14 animal protection associations from all over the country wrote a letter to protest the two governments' mass slaughter policy. They said rabies had broken out in other parts of the country in the past, but local governments had curbed the spread of the contagious disease by strengthening vaccination work in time and killing some vagrant dogs.

Other citizens believe that the mass slaughter of dogs in the event of a rabies outbreak is necessary.

A netizen left a message on Xinhuanet.com saying that thousands of unvaccinated dogs in a county would pose a huge threat to the public.

Another netizen agreed that people's lives should be the government's priority when facing epidemic situations.

Contagious disease experts claimed the killing of dogs is the most effective way to combat a rabies epidemic.

Ding Zhengrong, a local epidemic prevention official in Yunnan Province also said "killing dogs is the most effective way to control the epidemic when rabies breaks out."

Even if they look normal and healthy, dogs may still carry the rabies virus. When rabies breaks out, it is difficult to tell sick dogs from healthy ones, so the mass killing of dogs is necessary.

But Ding also said if advance measures could be taken to prevent an outbreak of rabies, there would be no mass killing of dogs. Compulsory vaccination of all dogs is a solution," he said.

He said some urban families failed to register and vaccinate their dogs because of the expensive fees.

In Jining city, in Shandong Province, it costs a family 4,500 yuan to register and vaccinate a dog. The high cost has scared away many dog owners and increased the risk of a rabies outbreak.

In the vast rural areas, there is no clear-cut dog registration and vaccination system at all.

Ding suggested that government reduce dog registration and vaccination fees in cities, and in rural areas, governments should organize special groups to patrol and vaccinate dogs for free.

Rabies, mainly spread by dog bites, attacks the nervous system and usually kills humans within a week of their developing the symptoms. It is one of the most deadly contagious disease in China. The Ministry of Health reported 2,375 deaths from rabies last year in the nation.

(Xinhua News Agency August 11, 2006)