5,000 ‘cookie’ vaccines for stray dogs in Desa Wira, Batu Kawa, Malihah rabies pilot

The oral rabies vaccine stored in freezer at SIDC ready to be deployed in a pilot targeting stray dogs in Desa Wira, Batu Kawa and Malihah starting April 13, 2026.

By Karen Bong

KUCHING, April 4: Desa Wira, Batu Kawa and Taman Malihah, areas that have recorded four human rabies deaths over the past three years, are now at the centre of a bold new public health push, as Sarawak rolls out a pioneering oral rabies vaccine (ORV) pilot programme aimed at reaching the hardest-to-catch stray dog population.

The initiative, involving 5,000 vaccine-laced “cookie” baits, marks a strategic shift in Sarawak’s rabies control efforts, targeting not just owned pets, but the elusive free-roaming and stray dogs that experts say continue to sustain the virus in the environment.

A long-planned intervention takes shape

Sarawak Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) president Datin Sri Dona Drury Wee shared that the ORV programme has been over a year in the making, following its introduction at the 2024 Rabies in Borneo Conference in Kuching.

“This is not something new to us. We’ve been working on bringing it in for about one and a half years,” she said during WeeShallTalk live session hosted by Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng today.

Dona highlighted that the pilot project is a multi-agency collaboration involving SSPCA, the Sarawak Infectious Disease Centre (SIDC), the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) Sarawak, and the Ministry of Public Health, Housing and Local Government (MPHLG).

The pilot has received special approval from the Veterinary Department in Putrajaya, underscoring its status as a controlled trial rather than a publicly available solution.

Dona (in blue shirt) flanked by Bryan on her right together with SIDC team sharing about oral rabies vaccine pilot during ShallWeeTalk session hosted by Wee (right) on April 4, 2026.

Why these three areas?

The selection of Desa Wira, Batu Kawa and Taman Malihah was deliberate.

“These are designated rabies hotspots. We had four human deaths in these areas in the last three years, so that’s why we picked them,” Dona explained.

The targeted approach reflects a data-driven strategy, focusing resources where the risk is highest, while testing the effectiveness of ORV in real-world, high-transmission environments.

Reaching the unreachable: The stray dog challenge

A major limitation of conventional rabies control has been the difficulty of capturing stray and free-roaming dogs for injection-based vaccination.

“The main pool of the rabies virus is probably still sitting with these dogs. Owned pets can be brought in for vaccination, but strays are very hard to catch,” Dona noted, emphasising that this is where ORV offers a game-changing solution.

SIDC senior scientist Bryan Aidan Wee explained that unlike injection methods, the oral vaccine leverages animal behaviour rather than force.

“If you catch them once, you cannot catch them again. But with ORV, it’s given as food. The next time they see you, they’ll come back,” he said.

The use of oral rabies vaccines is not new globally. Dona pointed out that the same technology has been used successfully for over three decades, including in Europe where rabies in wild fox populations has been nearly eradicated.

Sarawak now aims to adapt this proven approach to local conditions and community dynamics.

On questions about why ORV is not used for cats, Dona explained that the bait size is designed for dogs, and international guidelines prioritise canine vaccination. Dogs remain the primary host of the rabies virus, while infections in cats typically occur through spillover.

“If we eliminate rabies in dogs, it will naturally die out among cats,” she said, adding that both oral and injectable vaccines cost roughly the same, reinforcing the need to prioritise impact.

A close-up of the rabies vaccine-laced ‘cookie’ baits.

How the ‘vaccine cookies’ work

The vaccine is embedded in bait resembling a cookie, made from egg-based material, with a sachet containing the vaccine inside.

However, the public has been cautioned not to mistake these for food.

“Don’t think it’s kuih raya lying around,” Dona stressed.

Strict protocols are in place. Teams must observe each dog fully consuming the bait before recording the vaccination using a mobile app developed by international partners Mission Rabies and World Veterinary Services.

Each vaccinated dog is logged via GPS coordinates, rather than physical tagging, allowing authorities to map coverage and assess immunity zones.

The pilot also supports SIDC’s broader vaccine development ambitions, as researchers study the feasibility of producing components locally.

Ground Operations and large-scale deployment

The programme will begin with mass vaccination drives for owned pets on April 11 and 12 at SJK Sin San Tu and Batu Kawa Riverbank Park.

This will be followed by two weeks of intensive field deployment, with multiple teams from DVS, SIDC, SSPCA and the Immune Belt Enforcement Team (I-BET) covering assigned zones.

“We will be going out, walking around, looking for stray dogs, placing the bait, watching them consume it, and logging the data before moving on,” Dona said.

In total, authorities aim to vaccinate up to 6,000 dogs through a combination of oral and injection methods.

“I hope the public will be very cooperative and accepting the programme that we are going to be implementing this month.”

A public survey will also be conducted after the pilot to gather feedback from residents.

A veterinarian administers vaccine to a dog at anti-rabies vaccination, licensing, microchipping, and subsidized neutering event for dogs at MBKS Community Hall, Jalan Padungan on April 12, 2025.

Science, storage and safety

The ORV is designed to remain effective for up to 12 months, requiring annual reapplication to maintain herd immunity, particularly as new puppies enter the population.

Bryan highlighted the importance of proper handling.

“The vaccine is kept frozen and can last a long time, but once deployed in the field, it must be used within seven days and kept in cooler boxes,” he said.

Strict handling procedures are necessary to preserve efficacy, with all personnel undergoing specialised training before deployment.

“Maintaining the cold chain is critical. Exposure to heat, such as leaving the vaccine in a vehicle, can render it ineffective. As with all medical products, strict handling protocols and trained personnel are essential,” he added.

Data-driven strategy and community role

Beyond vaccination, the programme includes household pet surveys conducted over weekends to establish accurate population data, which Dona emphasised a crucial step toward achieving the 70 per cent herd immunity threshold needed to interrupt virus transmission.

“These areas represent a good cross-section of Sarawak society where Dayak communities, Malay villages and Chinese housing estates reside,” she explained, adding that findings will guide Sarawak government’s future policy, budgeting and intervention strategies.

The collected data will belong to the Sarawak government and support broader initiatives, including neutering programmes, which is widely regarded as the most humane method of controlling stray populations.

Measuring success without re-catching dogs

While traditional vaccine studies often rely on post-vaccination blood tests, Bryan noted that such methods are impractical for strays.

“We won’t be catching them again just to test immunity. Instead, we will monitor the prevalence of rabies in sampled dog populations over time. If the positive rate drops, that’s a strong indicator of success.”

A promotional material posted by SPPCA encouraging neutering of pets.

Public responsibility still key

Despite the innovation, Dona emphasised that ORV is not a substitute for responsible pet ownership.

“There is no plan to distribute oral vaccines to households. Owners must still bring their pets for annual vaccination,” she said.

She pointed out that government vaccination programmes are free, while private clinics charge between RM50 and RM60, which is a modest cost compared to the risks of rabies.

Recalling past efforts, Dona shared how a villager in Serian once transported five dogs one by one on his motorcycle, while others used wheelbarrows to reach vaccination centres.

“In the city, we have cars. So there is really no excuse,” she added.

One of the mass vaccination programme to be organised at Desa Wira on April 18, 2026.

Toward a rabies-free Sarawak

The ORV pilot represents more than just a technical trial. It is a strategic attempt to close a critical gap in Sarawak’s rabies control framework.

By targeting the “invisible” population of stray and free-roaming dogs, authorities hope to break the transmission cycle at its source.

“With this programme, we hope Sarawak will adopt ORV as part of its long-term strategy. If we can reduce fear of strays and reach them effectively, we can move closer to eliminating rabies,” Dona said.

Complementing this effort, SSPCA has also collaborated with MBKS to implement CNVR (capture, neuter, vaccinate and release) programmes, with funding from Yayasan Hasanah, successfully covering about 100 dogs within MBKS areas last year.

As the pilot unfolds, all eyes will be on Desa Wira, Batu Kawa and Taman Malihah with communities now at the frontline of what could be a transformative breakthrough in Sarawak’s fight against rabies. — DayakDaily