China Rabies Death Reports False!!!

The "rabies outbreak" in China and the resulting internet frenzy about cruelty to dogs is classic internet hype. We fell for it too. The Chinese government and local officials were doing their job. It was a dreadful situation, not just for the dogs that were killed, but for the people who were bitten or exposed to rabies.

Also it must be said that the livestock which is a major source of food or income for millions of people had to be protected from rabies!

Dateline: 8/30/06 Jane Ropollo, Dobermans was in Kumming at the same time and while we haven’t had time to contact her, we believe she can verify most of this update report. The network media and of course, internet lists had a field day with headlines such as we carried.

We were at that time, unable to reach Science and Advisory Board Member Lana Tsan for a first-hand report. Lana travels extensively as an educator, judge, and President of the China Kennel Club and other dog-related organizations. No excuse – we should not have run a story without checking our Chinese sources even though it appeared in the American press

This editor is anything but “communist” so relax. I am better known as a truth-seeker and this time, I feel comfortable giving our readers a different perspective. You can then judge what is true according to your own perception and your common sense.

Below is an email from Lana Tsan, VP China Kennel Club.  It was followed by a phone call from her to elaborate. We still don’t have all the details; cell communication from China is sometimes good, often frustrating, and always expensive.

Here are the Rabies Outbreak FACTS Science and Advisory Board Member Lana Tsan asked us to convey to dog friends here in America:

• Micro chips cost about $20 American. This is about a month’s income for a poor farmer in remote mountainous areas where there is not even a local water supply.

• The press photos could not have been taken there or anywhere is that area which does not even have electricity and water must be carried.

• Kumming can be found (It exists but is so small, so remote) but not Mouding, the place they called a county in China!

• There was panic, largely due to the remoteness and inaccessibility to modern medical facilities. The single nurse she reached a point of being unable to cope with the cases.

• There are no helicopter transports or accessibility to the mountain villages.

• The epidemic was potentially much more serious than Mad Cow Disease which resulted in the slaughter and burning of thousands of cattle in England.

• Beef only affects people that eat beef whereas rabies affects all warm blooded animals, including people. Many animals (chickens and other livestock) were infected with rabies due to dog bites.

• It had to be stopped quickly and effectively so to criticize the government for rabid or suspect dogs over this is short-sighted and wrong.

• Lana regrets the deaths of those dogs as much as any dog person here in America.

From: lana [mailto:lana@nasahk.com] Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Subject: RE: Dog massacre - More News from China

I have just nearly spend the whole month in Kumming and would like to know if the people who is writing about the massacres know where the county is. Mouding is a village high up in the mountain and look nothing like the photo in CBS. I did not take any photo because I could not recharge my camera. I did not have electricity. I am surprised by the rural area in Kumming.

The report I got is that in June 3 person plus their cats, cattle and other domestic animal were bitten by their own house dog. The owner died of rabies plus all the bitten animal and the officers inoculated 4000 plus dogs in that village. This is the official incident in Cctv channel 12 in Chinese.

The next month July esp. at the end of that month around 24-26th, the disease has spread to 7 villages and 360 person has been bitten. Also the record for the lowest day is 25 person and the highest on 26th is 90 person.

The hospital in that area could not cope with the number and shots needed. Thus the culling was decided because even the previous vaccinated dogs were also affected. Only the dogs from the CWDMA with micro-chip were spared.

The total number of death remained at 4 which is fortunate and steps were taken as the disease were spreading very rapidly and can anyone find out for me where mouding is? It is not a city or a county!!!!! I have difficulty finding it even in China!

Regards, Lana

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