Con Dao uses QR code tags to manage stray dogs

On November 1, the People's Committee of Con Dao district (Ba Ria - Vung Tau province) completed the handover of 887 QR code tags to the Management Board of 9 residential areas to distribute to dog owners. The implemented measures are expected to control and thoroughly handle the situation of stray dogs in the area.

Phan Thi Tim, Deputy Head of the Economic Department, Con Dao District People's Committee, said, “Through the tag, the People's Committee can manage the dog population in the area more easily. Wearing a collar with a QR code helps local people and authorities know whether the dogs are domestic or stray”.

The QR code allows district residents to access necessary information such as pet owner's name, home address, number of dogs raised in the household and their vaccination status. The information is made public on the information portal of Con Dao District People's Committee.

“After the handover of tags, a team of the Con Dao District People's Committee specialized in catching stray dogs will operate consistently, using unpredictable operation patterns. We aim to be more strict with the problem of stray dogs. When we discover any stray dog, we will catch it without hesitation, even if it runs into the owner's yard or house. People have been informed about the harmful effects of stray dogs many times, and wearing tags with QR codes further demonstrates the importance of having stray dogs under control,” Tim informed.

From the perspective of Con Dao District People's Committee, the issuance of these QR tags will serve as a basis for implementing fundamental measures to deal with stray dogs, ensuring the safety of residents and tourists. This is also a drastic measure of the island district to effectively execute rabies prevention and control.

Bui Quang Tuan, Deputy Head of Ba Ria - Vung Tau Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health highly regarded this initiative from Con Dao district. “This specific action contributes to maintaining the rabies-free zone of Con Dao, ensuring safety for the people. This model of Con Dao is worth following by other localities in the province,” he said.

Once recognized by the Department of Animal Health as a disease-free area for animal rabies in 2019, The island district of Con Dao has approximately 1,000 dogs at present. According to the calculation of the Economic Department of Con Dao, the actual number may be much larger when taking into account the number of stray dogs that cannot be counted.

In recent times, there have been many cases of ownerless dogs gathering in packs, aggressively chasing and threatening to bite people and tourists on the roads. More than the problem of traffic insecurity, they create a negative impact on public health.

In 2023 alone, Con Dao recorded more than 100 cases of dog bites requiring anti-rabies serum injections. Fortunately, no dog developed rabies or people bitten by them showed signs of rabies infection. Controlling stray dogs thus not only prevents rabies but also ensures people's daily lives while not affecting tourism activities.

“The rabies vaccination rate in Con Dao district is quite high, currently at 92%. However, stray dogs that have not been vaccinated are also in no small number. This is a gap in the district’s rabies control because it is impossible to determine the source of infection and the disease safety status of the dogs,” said Deputy Head Phan Thi Tim.

Con Dao has also recorded many cases of traffic accidents caused by stray dogs. This locality usually receives a large number of domestic and foreign tourists as they come here for relaxation and spiritual tourism. Therefore, the responsibility does not only belong to each individual but instead requires the cooperation of the entire community.

The Con Dao District Economic Department, the Station of Plant Protection and Animal Health and related units have regularly launched campaigns to capture stray dogs in the area. However, with so many stray dogs and limited resources, it is very difficult to completely solve this problem.