{
  "id": 10463813,
  "title": "Don’t catch or kill stray dogs, vet dept warns after Kedah rabies case",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/dont-catch-or-kill-stray-dogs-vet-dept-warns-after-kedah-rabies-case",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-28T13:56:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/09/28/don-t-catch-or-kill-stray-dogs-vet-dept-warns-after-kedah-rabies-case"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kedah's veterinary department has cautioned the public against killing or catching stray animals suspected of having rabies. Health division head Dr Ummi Sumilah Soraya Johar advised against catching, hitting or killing animals, especially stray dogs, and urged the public to report them to authorities instead. Following a recent rabies case in Kubang Pasu, two operations rooms have been set up in Alor Setar and Kubang Pasu for further action. A man died in Kubang Pasu after being bitten by a stray dog in August. Rabies can be transmitted by various mammals, including dogs, cats, bats and cattle. Symptoms in infected animals may appear as early as seven to 14 days after infection, characterized by excessive salivation, drooping jaw, behavioral changes and unusual barking. Dog owners are advised to vaccinate their pets against rabies if they haven't already. Kedah public health medicine specialist Dr Tan Wei Leong emphasized the importance of immediate wound washing with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes after being bitten or scratched by an animal to minimize infection risk. He stressed that delaying treatment or underestimating small wounds can be fatal, as rabies is a viral disease that attacks the nervous system, including the brain, and is often fatal once symptoms appear. Immediate preventive treatment, including rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), can reduce the risk of death.",
  "summary": "Kedah veterinary services department's Dr Ummi Sumilah Soraya Johar advises dog owners to immediately get their pets vaccinated against rabies if they have not already done so.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Don’t catch or kill stray dogs, vet dept warns after Kedah rabies case",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/dont-catch-or-kill-stray-dogs-vet-dept-warns-after-kedah-rabies-case-10467429",
        "published": "2026-09-28T13:56:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}