Rabies risk requires dogs be controlled

OVER THE PAST 30 DAYS two people have died of rabies. A Shanghai resident died two months after he was bitten by a stray dog, as did a woman in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province. Thepaper.cn commented on Monday:

Incidents involving dog bites and rabies always lead to a public outcry for stricter management of dogs. But such calls often subside once the public's attention switches to something else.

Some diehard dog lovers also campaign to protect stray and big dogs. And the dog control enforcers can do little when dog-loving protesters prevent them from doing their job. Trucks carrying aggressive dogs have been forced to stop and the dogs released. After the Xi'an woman died, some stood up refuting the idea that dogs carry viruses and upholding the right of dogs to life and protection.