Penang exco Dr Afif Bahardin said preventive roadblocks would be mounted by the Veterinary Services Department (VSD) at the state boundary in Seberang Perai.

“We are on full alert to stop any entry of any mammals infected with rabies from entering the state.

“Penang has been rabies free for the past two years, but we would like to encourage pet owners to get their pets vaccinated.

“We would also recommend reducing the socialising of your pets with other animals,” he said at a press conference at the state VSD headquarters in Bukit Tengah here today.

Afif urged pet owners to have their animals vaccinated at the VSD offices in Bukit Tengah or Jalan Gurdwara in George Town at a cost of RM5 each. Private practitioners usually charge nearly RM100 per dose.

He also advised pet owners to get a VSD Malaysia Pet Passport at a reduced rate of RM7 (usual fee RM35), which included an identification chip.

“My advice to members of the public is if you are bitten or have come in contact with mammals, especially dogs, please seek immediate treatment and report to the police.

“Please also report any movement of stray dogs in your area to the local council,” Afif said.

He said the public should contact the VSD Rabies Operations Room at 04-504-1047 to report any incidence of dogs or other pets acting up.

The symptoms of rabies are hyper-salivating (excess saliva drooling) from an infected dog’s mouth.

If the saliva comes in contact with humans, it can be deadly. The disease is caused by Lysavirus, which attacks human brain cells and may cause nerve damage if not treated immediately.

Common human side effects include fever, muscle ache, insomnia, mental disturbance and aggression.

According to Afif, samples of 241 Penang-based dogs had been tested since January this year and were found free of rabies.

He said 5,927 licensed dogs in Seberang Perai and 798 on Penang Island had been vaccinated.

Afif reminded pet owners to obtain booster shots of the vaccine yearly to ensure their pets’ health.

“Those who do not vaccinate their pets can be fined RM5,000 under federal law,” he said.

VSD statistics show there are an estimated 10,000 dogs in Penang, most of them on mainland Penang.

Penang’s last rabies outbreak saw VSD culling over 2,000 stray dogs. The last reported case was in Balik Pulau on Sept 21, 2015.