Rabies Outbreak in Bali
 

It's probably not a good idea to pat any stray dogs when visiting Bali.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_667375.html

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20...es_in_paradise

This is NOTw news...as article states,it has been going on for the past 2 years.

Definitely a good idea to stay clear of those scurvy hounds. I remember wondering why the dogs don't even seem to register on the radar of a sensitive people like the Balinese.

I wondered the same, Neil. Seems animals just don't make it onto their karmic consciousness, which seems a little strange given some of the gods are animal like dieties. Maybe it's just the big ones that make the cut.

I just get the rabies & tetanus shots, take the anti malaria stuff and try not to trip over the dogs. Lots of cats, too.

Actually the sensitive nature of the Balinese is the reason that there are so many unattached dogs. The strays are fed and maintained and until recently no effort was made to control their population.

I say stay away from dogs and monkeys in Bali.

The government at first tried a culling operation until it was found to be ineffective, and now there is a strong vaccination program going on. If you see a dog with a red ribbon around its neck that means it's been recently vaccinated. Unfortunately, Balinese tend to dismiss any health problems, that's one reason why tetanus, diabetes and other treatable diseases are so rampant. Many of the poor souls who have gotten sick or died of rabies either didn't realize they should have gotten treatment right away or felt they couldn't afford it. It's a tragic situation, but you shouldn't feel unduly afraid. There are a lot of snakes in Bali too but you don't hear too much about that!

With that serious a health risk, you would think they would be doing more to get rid of the strays.

An interesting link: http://www.bawabali.com/index.php?lang=en-US

Bawa has been really great in working to fight rabies in Ubud.